Learning about Love and Each Other
by amk8930
Summary: Yusei and Akiza confess their love, but neither one has ever been in a relationship before! They soon find out more about romance, love, and each other. Sexual Suggestions, Rating went up due to Chapter 17, but NO LEMONS! AkizaxYusei Other couples
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1!**

**A/N: I'm back from my hiatus and here's my new story. It's a post-series fic about what happens to Yusei and Akiza. There will be other characters appearing, but I'm going to try and focus on them as much as I can.**

**I also want to note basically what I have in my description. There's sexual suggestions and the rating may go up. However, I will not write any lemons! So, I just want to be clear that that is not why it could change. It's just due to the fact that they are all adults now and talk about more adult topics. So, I might change it, but it's just to be safe and to not get into trouble.**

**As** **always, I hope you enjoy and review when you can. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or it's characters.  
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**The story start out as Yusei comes back home, the day before they all leave. **

It was nighttime. A partly clouded sky couldn't keep the moon from showing bright onto the city of New Domino City. A young man, with black and yellow hair, was walking home. When he got there, he went up to the garage, bended down, and lifted up the door. It was then that he spotted someone inside.

She was about his height, but only an inch shorter than him. She had red hair and was facing away from him. Her hands were behind her back, with her left hand gripping her right wrist.

"Akiza?" he called to her. He then went for a light switch, so that way both of them could see better.

"Leave the lights off," she replied quickly, without even turning back to him. Yusei stopped himself just before he reached the switch. He was a bit confused as to why she didn't want the lights on. He turned to face her and put his outstretch arm down as she spoke.

"I've just been waiting here, thinking of all kinds of things," Akiza continued, "I can't show you my face my face right now."

Now Yusei was really confused.

What was she talking about? Why couldn't she show him her face? Was something wrong? Yusei didn't know, but he was definitely concerned about her. The bright full moon gave him enough light to walk towards her. Akiza still didn't move as she then asked him a question.

"So, you're the only one who will be here now Yusei?"

Yusei made his way up to her, with his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, so what's wrong?" he asked. Akiza turned to him, while facing down, towards to the ground. "I was just thinking of how I should say a proper goodbye to you," Akiza replied.

Yusei's concerned face turned into a smile. _Now he understood. _Akiza wanted to say goodbye to him. She was going to fly overseas to Germany and was going to become a doctor. It would take 8 long years of hard work and determination to do it, but Akiza knew it was what she wanted to do. Of course, she wasn't the only person that was leaving. Jack and Crow were going to go off and become professional Turbo Duelists, while Leo and Luna were going to be reunited with their parents in London. Yusei had already said goodbye to all of them and now the last one was Akiza. "I see," Yusei replied gently.

Akiza's grip on right wrist tightened. She was nervous, but she knew that she had to do it. Her voice immediately filled with nervousness, worry, and fear. "Yusei..." she started and could feel herself shaking. A blush was red on her face, but it went away as she looked him in the eyes and swung her hand in front of her ginormous chest.

"I have always lov..."

Akiza's eyes grew wide as she gasped and stopped herself. No! This wasn't right! She had told him that she wanted to give him a _proper goodbye. _Saying that she loved him was _not proper._ If he said he felt the same way, then Akiza would want to stay here, with him. She would have to give up a chance to study abroad and get an education from a fantastic school. If he said that he didn't feel the same, then Akiza would leave heartbroken. Not to mention, it would be awkward the next time she would see him and it would make her regret confessing to him.

Akiza retracted her arm and shook her head. No! She had to find another way! One that would _still_ tell him about her feelings for him, but one that wasn't so direct. _Without saying those three little words._ After a brief moment, she looked up, with a smile on her face. Her hands went back behind her back and she looked him in the eyes. _Now she knew what to say._

"I love that I met you."

Yusei was stunned. It was clear as day that Akiza was going to say that she had always loved him. But why did she stop? Why did she refrain from continuing her statement? It was then that he realized why she had stopped. She said that she wanted to give him a proper goodbye and that is what she was doing. It would be too hard on her if she had kept going and, no matter what his response was, it would not benefit her in any way. After Akiza had finished correcting her statement, Yusei continued looking stunned for a moment, before his raised eyebrows went down and his face beamed with confidence. It was the sort of expression he would give if he was about to win a Turbo Duel. He knew _exactly _what he had to do.

"So do I, Akiza," he replied as he too looked her in the eyes.

Akiza continued smiling at him and started to feel a little bit of excitement. 'Did he understand? Did he realize how I felt about him?' Akiza wondered. She wasn't sure. Despite his stunned to confident expression, she was still incredibly nervous and couldn't stand facing him. Akiza turned to her right, so that he could only see her from the side.

"When I first met you Yusei, I was honestly thinking that you were a scary person," Akiza said, as she recalled the day when they both realized the other had a Signer mark.

Yusei couldn't believe it! Akiza was afraid of him and he had been afraid of her! Yusei tried to hold back from laughing at the fact, but he couldn't stop himself. He leaned forward and laughed. It was a _real, genuine laugh._ Akiza couldn't help, but feel overjoyed in hearing him. She couldn't recall the last time she had heard Yusei laugh, let alone one that was so relaxed and real. She also couldn't help, but feel as though this was a little bit of Yusei that he had kept hidden and he had refrained from showing this side of him. He was always so serious and firm, but now he was laughing and smiling. She really enjoyed it and was proud that she was the one who was making him laugh and smile.

Once Yusei stopped laughing, he leaned back and explained to Akiza why he was laughing.

"The same applies for me," Yusei replied, "When I first laid eyes on you Akiza, you were really scary. I was pretty nervous of what would happen to the team, if we lost to you."

Now, Akiza was upset. Akiza's goal was to win the Fortune Cup, just like everybody else. So, if she would have won, it would have been _her_ fault that the Signers didn't get together? It would have been_ her_ fault that the world would have ended? All the blame would have been put on _her?_ Akiza didn't like that and made a fist. Akiza knew that there was no way she would ever have been violent with Yusei, especially after everything that he had done for her. Still, she was upset and countered his assumption.

"Huh?" she gasped, "You really thought that?"

Yusei knew that Akiza was a strong, independent woman that could take care of herself and stand up for her own opinions. He also knew that this wasn't exactly the greatest time to do what he was about to do, but he didn't care. He didn't know how much longer Akiza would be here and he knew that he had to make his move. Akiza wanted him to speak, but it wasn't going to be about the question she had asked. Instead, Yusei was going to completely change the subject. It wasn't even related to what they were talking about, but he hoped that Akiza would understand.

Just like before, their eyes met. Yusei was nervous, just like when Akiza had started confessing her feelings for him. He could feel his armpits start to sweat and his facial expression hinted at his nervousness. He took a few steps forward as he spoke.

"Akiza, don't forget to smile," Yusei started as he came to a full stop, a very short distance from her. Akiza gasped and her fist loosened it's grip, as she lower her hand slightly. Akiza's face, just like Yusei's was a minute ago, was full of shock.

What did he mean? Why did he change the subject? What did her smile have to do with anything? It was then that their relationship rose to a whole new level.

Yusei and Akiza kept their eyes locked in on each others. Even though Yusei, was very nervous, he had managed to keep his voice calm, yet firm. He spotted Akiza's now loosened fist and grabbed it with, not one, but both of his hands. His left was first, followed by handiness right hand. As Yusei did this, he said something that Akiza never expected him to say to her.

"There's no one in the world with a smile better than yours."

Just like with Yusei, Akiza stood for a moment stunned. Akiza couldn't believe it! Was Yusei _really _confessing to her, just like she had done to him earlier? Was this a sign that Yusei _really _felt the same way? For the first time since they had started talking, Akiza confidently believed that this was it and that he really felt the same way.

It was simple. Yusei had followed her lead. Instead of saying those three _magical words, _Yusei had said something that confessed his love, but was not so direct. Akiza's confused face turned into a confident smile, as she tightened her right hand, which was also her dominate one. She then put her left hand on top of her's and Yusei's. In case Yusei didn't get the message the first time, Akiza knew what she would say, just to be safe.

"You're the one, who put that smile on my face, Yusei."

Akiza knew what she had said was perfect. It was as if she was saying, "That smile that you love so much? The one that's the best in the world? It is all thanks to you Yusei and giving me that smile is why I love you." It was clear as day that her feelings were out in the open and Yusei understood. However, just like Akiza, he wanted to be sure that his feelings were out in the open too. Although it was risky, considering everything that they had said and did since he had arrived, it felt like the perfect and right thing to do.

Yusei was now smiling at Akiza and he started to lean forward, with their hands still intertwined. As Yusei started to lean very slightly downward, Akiza leaned very slightly upwards. Her face showed excitement and anticipation. Were they really going to do it? Just like Yusei, Akiza knew it was the perfect and right thing to do. It was now clear as day to her that Yusei felt the same way as she did.

As their faces got even closer, their facial expressions changed. Their faces also reflected into the others eyes. Akiza's face had quickly turned from excitement and anticipation to nervousness and worry. The smile from Yusei's face was gone and he too looked nervous and worried as well. Neither one had _ever _had their first kiss, so it was obvious that both of them were nervous. Akiza decided on a way that would, hopefully, take off all their nervousness of having a first kiss. She slowly closed her eyes, letting Yusei know that it was all right and that she understood his feelings. Yusei then followed her lead, just like before, and closed his eyes as well. They then closed the final distance and their lips met the other's.

Their first kiss.

Yusei's dry lips melted into Akiza's moist ones. The setting couldn't be more perfect. The dark room, with just enough light from the moon, and no one around to see or bother them. They had both held their feelings inside for a long time and now they finally knew how the other felt about them. They weren't sure how long they stood their, with their lips pressed against the other's. Although their hands were still intertwined, it didn't matter, since they could still feel each other's happiness. No, it wasn't like in the movies, where their lips would move passionately against the other's. No, that was for another time. This time, they just wanted to take in all the love, happiness, and joy that they were feeling.

After what felt like forever, Yusei then Akiza slowly leaned back. They each had blushes across their faces, along with big bright smiles. "Yusei," Akiza said softly. "Akiza," Yusei responded just as softly. They smiled at one another, now knowing how they felt. Despite the good mood, Akiza still had one last question for Yusei.

"Yusei...I know that I'll be away at school," she started slowly. Her face looked a little sad and Yusei gasped, trying to figure out what she was talking about. Akiza looked down at their still holding hands. "And...I know I'll be several hours ahead of you, but...do you think..." She looked shyly up at him. "There's a way we could stay in contact?"

Yusei's gasp turned into a confident smile, as he had some good news for her.

"Akiza, of course we can stay in contact. We have e-mail, video chats, our phones, and so many other ways to connect to one another. It doesn't matter if you're several hours ahead of me, I'll still try to stay in touch with you as much as possible." Akiza gasped and a smile returned back to her face, as Yusei continued. "You can always contact me, 24/7 Akiza. My door is always open for you Akiza and don't _ever _feel guilty to get in touch with me." Akiza smiled. "Thank you Yusei." He nodded, but he still had something else he wanted to say. Akiza watched as, just like before, Yusei's face looked a little sad. He took looked down at her hands.

"Akiza, I know we'll be able to say in contact, but..." He looked up at her and Akiza gasped. "I really enjoy spending time with you and I was wondering..." He paused for a moment. "When I'll get to see you again?"

Just like before, Akiza smiled confidently and had some good news for him, that would cheer him right up.

"Yusei, I like spending time with you too," Akiza started as she tightened her grip on their hands, "In case you forgot, I do have summer and winter breaks every year and..." Yusei gasped and started to look curiously at her. "My parents would like to spend more time with me, since we haven't been able to do that very often..." Yusei's face leaned forward just a tiny bit, still looking curiously at her as she spoke. "So they have said that during every one of my breaks, I'll be able to fly back home to New Domino City."

A smile grew on Yusei's face. He was so happy that he would get to see Akiza so soon. "So...that means that I'll see you...in a few months? Right?" he asked. Akiza closed her eyes and nodded. She then looked at Yusei who looked like a kid in a candy store. "I can't wait," he replied with a hint of excitement in his voice. Akiza smiled at him. "Me neither," she replied a little more calmly, "I thought about letting it be a surprise for you, but after what has happened tonight, I thought it would be a good time to tell you." Yusei nodded and his face suddenly looked a little more serious. He tightened his grip on her hands.

"Now Akiza, even if we can't stay in contact and if, for some reason you can't fly home, I want you to know that I believe in you." Akiza was a bit confused, but Yusei quickly clarified it for her. "You are _so_ smart Akiza and I know that you work hard at school. I _know _you have the potential to become an excellent doctor someday. Don't give up on your dream, because I _know _you can do it." Akiza blushed. "Thanks Yusei," she replied. Yusei nodded, but had more to say. "But at the same time, don't pressure yourself into getting a perfect GPA or all A's. Just go out there and do your best." Akiza and Yusei were now smiling and blushing at each other.

"Thanks. I will," Akiza replied and they stood there for a long moment.

However, they knew that they had to move on. Their hands hadn't left the other's since they Yusei had grabbed a hold of Akiza's. They watched as they released their hands slowly and in-synch with one another. They finally let go, even though they truly didn't want to. However, they both remembered that they would see and hear from each other very soon.

Akiza made a fist again with her right hand again. However, this fist wasn't full or anger or upset. This once was full of confidence, thanks to Yusei's belief in her and telling her to do her best. Yusei smiled as he saw the woman he found so beautiful looking so confidently. After a brief moment, Akiza let go of her fist and folded her arms.

"Well, I'm off," Akiza finally noted. Yusei put his hands into his pockets. "Okay, get on out of her," Yusei replied.

He watched as Akiza ran up the steps to the garage and closed the door. As she did, he watched with a smile on his face. Once he made sure she had made it inside, he turned around and walked out of the garage.

It was true that they never said those three little words. It was true that it wasn't exactly an award winning way of confessing their love. However, before they had met that night, neither one knew how the other one felt about them. Now, it was clear as day that what they had hoped and prayed for was true.

They both loved each other.

**A/N: In case you're wondering, yes, this is my canon for that scene.  
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**Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed it and please review, to tell me how I did.**

**Next Chapter: How will Yusei and Akiza react from what has just happened?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2!**

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad people were not upset at my canon for that scene! Anyways, here's the second Chapter!**

As Akiza closed the door behind her, she could hear Yusei slowly walk outside. She leaned against it, until she couldn't hear him anymore. Once he was gone, Akiza finally felt as though she could finally let her emotions out.

Tears started falling from her face. However, they were not tears of sadness or pain. Instead, they were tears of joy. She closed her eyes and put her hands in front of her chest. Akiza slowly slid down the door, until she sat one the ground. Although no one was there to hear her, Akiza talked aloud to herself.

"He...he loves me," Akiza said through her sniffles and tears. She opened her eyes and continued. "Not only did he recognize what I was trying to say, but he also understood my feelings for him. On top of all that, he not only understood my feelings, but he returned them. He returned my feelings for him! Even though I changed my words!" Akiza stood up.

"He followed my lead and then..."

Akiza paused and put her hands on her chest again. She closed her eyes as she remembered the moment. The moment they had shared their first kiss. Akiza knew it would be a moment she would remember for her entire life and she was so thankful that her first one was with him. The man who had changed her and her family's lives forever. She smiled as she felt a warmness come over her. Her tears had ended, but the joy she felt hadn't. She put her hands to her side and started walking.

As she did, she remembered that the twins had bought the apartment across the hall from them (and they had already bought the one they currently had). They were then going to give it to Yusei as a thank you gift for all the great things he did for them. Akiza knew that Yusei was probably a little reluctant to go, but at the same time the thought of living in such a nice place was going to be very exciting for him. Akiza also knew that he was going to move in a few days, since the twins had told her they were going to tell him when they said goodbye to him (which was earlier that night). Since Yusei had affected the twins so much that they bought one of the nicest apartments in New Domino City for him, it made Akiza think about how much Yusei cared about his friends.

She walked into the dark empty kitchen. The moon gave her enough light to see through the window. Akiza then wondered, 'If Yusei cares about his friends, and it's now clear that I'm more than a friend, does that mean that he cares about me more?' As she slowly walked, she then remembered what Yusei had told her.

_Flashback_

"Akiza, of course we can stay in contact. We have e-mail, video chats, our phones, and so many other ways to connect to one another. It doesn't matter if you're several hours ahead of me, I'll still try to stay in touch with you as much as possible." Akiza gasped and a smile returned back to her face, as Yusei continued. "You can always contact me, 24/7 Akiza. My door is always open for you Akiza and don't _ever _feel guilty to get in touch with me."

_End Flashback_

Akiza stopped walking. She smiled, put her hands on her chest again, and closed her eyes. Yusei did care about her. In fact, he cared about her so much that it didn't matter when or how she reached him. The fact that he wanted to stay in contact, no matter the circumstances, spoke volumes to her. Sure, Akiza had tried to be open to him and tried to stay in touch with him as much a possible while she was here. But the fact of the matter was that they didn't always stay in constant touch and there were times when Akiza felt as though they couldn't stay in touch, due to their busy schedules. It felt as though now things were going to be different.

It would have been so easy to stop their relationship while she was away or for them to make up excuses as to why they weren't sending each other some sort of message. But instead, Yusei _wanted_ them to stay in touch. He _wanted_ her to call, text, or in some way, shape or form reach out to him. Not to mention the fact that he felt the same way about contacting her. That made Akiza feel special. After all, her friends didn't have it so easy. Jack and Crow would have a tough time staying in contact as they went to the pro leagues. Leo and Luna would have it easier time overseas to reach him, since they weren't going anywhere. However, they still had 5-days a week of school with very little free time. Akiza only went to school a few days a week and so, it was going to be easier for her to stay in touch than anyone else.

As Akiza started walking again, she couldn't help, but feel as though their relationship was starting over. It was as if the past was behind them and they were starting a whole new adventure, one that Akiza knew was going to be even better than the first. Yusei had helped her become part of society again and her family was now closer than ever. But now, it was time to put that behind her and she had to move onto a new part of her life.

As Akiza made it to the front door, she opened it and made sure to lock it. She shut the door, but then put her right hand on it.

"I know that when I come back things are going to be very different," she said aloud to herself, "Yusei will be in a new home and I will have started my goal of becoming a doctor." She looked up and felt a gentle breeze brush through her hair. "I know that this was a good part of my life, but it's time for us to move on. An even better life is in store. One that will be an even better and more exciting life." As Akiza turned around a smile was on her face.

"And I know that this new life will bring Yusei and I even closer together."

As Yusei walked out of the garage, he had a smile on his face. However, he was trying to control the emotions that he felt deep inside. Yusei usually tried to keep his emotions hidden, but for some reason, he was now having trouble. He could feel a rush of joy and happiness come over him. His eyes started to feel water and he just couldn't help himself.

As he walked, he tilted his head down, trying to have his bangs hide his face. Despite this attempt, there was no denying the fact that Yusei was crying. They were not tears of sadness or anger, but instead were tears of joy. You could also see a warm smile on his face. However, there wasn't anyone around to see him, so he didn't have to hide his emotions.

'I don't recall ever crying like this,' Yusei thought, 'Not to mention the fact that it is over something good.' Yusei stopped walking and took his hands out of his pockets. He wiped away some of the tears and remembered what had just happened. He thought about the fear and worry that Akiza had, as she was trying to confess to him. However, he had taken her hand and told her that she had the most beautiful smile in the world. Sure enough, saying that made Akiza smile, the smile that he truly loved so much. Yusei then felt his cheeks turn hot, as he remembered what happened next. He leaned forward and she leaned forward and soon their lips met. Yusei gasped and smiled, showing some of his teeth. It was the best moment of his life.

At the same time, Yusei felt a little guilty for feeling that way. 'No! you shouldn't feel that way,' Yusei quickly thought to himself. But the blush on his face showed his true feelings. Deep inside, he knew that his first thought was right. That kiss had made him feel a happiness that he had never felt before. He remembered looking back at Akiza's smiling blushing face. It brought a smile back to his face just thinking about it.

As he started walking again, he thought about how Akiza had always been able to do that. Make him smile. 'Why was that?' he thought, 'She clearly like him more than a friend, so did that mean that she affects him more than his other friends?' As Yusei contemplated the thought, he remembered what she had told to him.

_Flashback

"Yusei, I like spending time with you too," Akiza started as she tightened her grip on their hands, "In case you forgot, I do have summer and winter breaks every year and..." Yusei gasped and started to look curiously at her. "My parents would like to spend more time with me, since we haven't been able to do that very often..." Yusei's face leaned forward just a tiny bit, still looking curiously at her as she spoke. "So they have said that during every one of my breaks, I'll be able to fly back home to New Domino City."

A smile grew on Yusei's face. He was so happy that he would get to see Akiza so soon. "So...that means that I'll see you...in a few months? Right?" he asked. Akiza closed her eyes and nodded. She then looked at Yusei who looked like a kid in a candy store. "I can't wait," he replied with a hint of excitement in his voice. Akiza smiled at him. "Me neither," she replied a little more calmly, "I thought about letting it be a surprise for you, but after what has happened tonight, I thought it would be a good time to tell you."

_End Flashback_

Yusei stopped walking again. He now understood that Akiza did affect him more. He had been so happy to have her come back to New Domino City and it was clear to him that he wasn't going to feel that same happiness when his other friends came back. He kept walking until he got to a rail that overlooked the city in front of him. New Domino was never a gargantuan city, but it wasn't super small either.

As Yusei looked out into the night and lights, he couldn't help, but feel a little sad, as a small frown was on his face. Sure, he was going to see and talk to Akiza soon enough, but he couldn't shrug off the fact that he was going to miss her being just a short ways away. It was obvious that he would miss her the most, but that wasn't making him feel any better. In fact, Yusei started feeling guilty that he was putting Akiza ahead of everyone else. He had tried to value his friends equally, but now he felt as thought Akiza deserved to be put much higher on his importance list. As he looked sadly into the night, he wasn't sure what to do next. He was dealing with emotions that he had usually kept hidden or never had and now they were coming full circle.

As he looked out, he also didn't know what was coming next for himself. He had his role as a scientist, but to be honest, he was never fond of the job. After saving New Domino City (and possibly the world), Yusei had wanted to help out the future and keep the world safe. The way to do that was to be a scientist. Since his father was a scientist, everyone instantly assumed that he wanted to be one too, and follow in his father's footsteps. However, that was never the case.

After one thing lead to another, Yusei found himself the head of the project. Despite desperately trying to find out as much as he could about Ener-D, Momentum, and different types of energy, Yusei truly didn't know or understand a lot about the subject. Everyone else working on the project was much more qualified than him, so they did almost all of the work. With the system and energy now all set, Yusei truly didn't know how much work he would honestly have to do, if any at all. He was sort of the CEO of the project, which meant he didn't do much of anything, unless something extremely important or bad happened. So far nothing had happened or if it did, it was a small, easily fixable problem. There was always plenty of other people to fix any issues, which left Yusei with almost nothing to do. So, the job was rather boring and it left him with tons of free time.

However, being the CEO and having lots of time could be a plus, especially now with Akiza going abroad. He could use that time to talk and check in on her. For a brief moment, Yusei had a smile on his face again. Seeing her beautiful face and her wonderful smile made him excited. Not to mention the fact that coming home every few months was even bigger plus.

After Yusei thought about seeing Akiza, it then made his face turn serious. With Akiza and him now being more than friends, how should he go about his relationship with her? Yusei had never been in a relationship before, let alone with someone as beautiful as her. Sure enough, the sad expression he had before returned to his face.

'What if I screw up? What if I make Akiza unhappy?' he thought, 'I don't want to make her unhappy, especially since she enjoys being with me so much.' Akiza and him shared such strong feelings for each other, yet Yusei had no experience with these emotions. Akiza had been thankful for Sayer's help when he took her in, but Yusei knew that she had never fell in love with him or had any romantic relationship with him. He was more of a father figure, to help replace her real father, who was deeply afraid of her. 'Well, I guess we're in the same boat,' Yusei thought, but that didn't make him feel anymore confident or happy. Yusei continued looking sadly out at the city, until he was soon interrupted by Trudge.

Yusei quickly tried to hide his worried and sad expression as he talked to Trudge, trying to be serious and smiling. While what Yusei said was true, he knew that, out all of his friends, there was someone_ more important_ and someone he cared about_ even more_ than his other friends.

Once he was done talking to Trudge, Yusei headed home. As he did, he still felt the guilt of holding Akiza higher and more importantly than anyone else. As he made his way to the front of the house, Yusei put his right hand on the door, just like Akiza had done a short while earlier. He remembered that he was going to move out soon and that it was going to be quite the transition to the Tops. Still, the thought of living in such a place was exciting and Yusei was grateful that the twins had offered him it.

As Yusei thought about moving, he smiled as he felt as though it was a new part of his life was starting.

"I know that the past is now behind me," he said aloud, "But I know this will be a new Chapter in my life. One that will be even better than the past." He smiled as he thought about _who _was going to make it better. "I know that Akiza and I are going to become much closer than we are right now," he continued, "And I know that we're going to have an even better relationship and become even greater friends."

'And maybe even something more,' Yusei's mind thought, but Yusei quickly tried to ignore it.

As Yusei took out his keys, he couldn't help, but feel as though he needed a little guidance on these new feelings that had arrived. He knew that he wanted the key to make Akiza happy and to make her smile. As Yusei opened the door, he knew the one person he could go to, to hopefully get that key...

Martha.

**A/N: If you read my last story, yes some of the ideas have transferred over, but not all.**

**Thank you for all your support and please review if you can.**

**Next Chapter: How will Martha react to what has happened tonight? I bet you can figure it out! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3!**

**A/N: What happens when Yusei visits Martha? Well, I think you can have a good guess.**

The next morning, Yusei and his friends had a sort of farewell, with them all riding a duel runner or duel board. As they road, Akiza looked at Yusei and his reflection was in her vizor.

'I won't say goodbye. We'll meet again one day,' Akiza thought as she was referring to her school break. They all went off and, although taking different exits, met up at the airport. Jack and Crow's runners were going to be on a special, larger plane and the twins were taking their duel boards with them. Akiza's parents had hired someone to bring her runner back to their house. That left Yusei all by himself.

After thinking about them going after their dreams, Yusei was honestly a little sad. When he went back home, there wasn't Jack and Crow having another dispute or the twins or Akiza there to visit. Since there was nothing to do, Yusei decided to head over to Martha's for a little bit of cheering up.

Once he got there, Yusei was a bit worried. He knew that, at some point, he was going to have to tell Martha what had happened the night before. At the same time, he was a little nervous and kept trying to convince himself to back out of it.

'Don't tell her this time,' Yusei thought, 'You'll have lots of time to tell her. Besides, what if she's still sad that two of her three boys are going off into the world?' Yusei thought about it for a moment. Maybe Martha _was _a little sad. After all, she did care about them a lot. Heck, even after Jack had left them all to go to New Domino City, Martha acted as though he had never left the next time she saw him. Yusei eventually made his way to the door and politely knocked. When the door opened, Martha had a huge smile on her face.

"Well, if it isn't Yusei," she said, "Come on in."

Yusei stepped inside. "Thanks Martha," he replied, but before he went any farther, Martha made him stop. "Mmmph," Martha grunted and Yusei gasped. He turned around to see Martha stick her arms up. Yusei smiled and they leaned in for a hug. "You're never too old to hug me. Right Yusei?" Yusei took a step back after enjoying the hug. "Right Martha." She then walked past him.

"I'm sure you're probably upset about having to say goodbye to most of your friends huh Yusei?" Martha asked as they made their way to the kitchen. "And you're not?" Yusei asked as Martha cleaned up the kitchen table. "You've forgotten that I've let dozen of orphans go to families, college, or leave for other reasons," Martha responded, "So I'm use to it. You on the other hand have never let this many friends go and I'm sure that's the reason why you're here."

Yusei blushed. Growing up with Martha, meant that she would remember you're traits and habits as well as your likes and dislikes. "How about I make you some hot apple cider?" Martha asked as she finished cleaning up her cereal bowl and putting it back in the cupboard. "Sure. That'd be great," Yusei replied as he took a seat at the table. Once Martha got the cider hot enough, she sat down to Yusei's left. They each took a sip from a mug and smiled.

"So, did you get a chance to say goodbye to all of them?" Yusei took another sip. "Sure did," he replied happily, but his face turned a little sad, "But...I'll miss them." Martha smiled as Yusei looked sadly at his cup. "As you should. You never know where Jack or Crow will be. Not to mention having some of them go overseas is a big deal. It's not as if they were going to another state or county. Besides, I'm sure it'll be a while before you see some of them again." Yusei nodded.

Martha took another sip and then smiled at him. "So, which one of them are you going to miss the most?" Martha asked. Yusei gasped and a blush grew on his face. He quickly leaned over and looked to his right, away from Martha. "I'll...miss them all the same," Yusei replied, even though he knew that was a lie. Martha's eyes narrowed as she could tell that he was lying and decided to have a little fun with him.

"Well, I'm sure there must be _somebody _that you're going to miss more," Martha replied slyly, "Why don't we go over each one?" Yusei wasn't too happy about the idea and his face turned frustrated. 'Oh crap!' he thought as Martha started.

"How about Jack and Crow? You three are like brothers," Martha noted. Yusei nodded. "Yeah, but they're about the same age as me," Yusei replied, "And I know that they can take care of themselves." Martha nodded and moved on. "What about the twins?" she asked, "They're not nearly as old as you guys are and I'm sure they never have been to London before." Yusei nodded, but again denied her an answer.

"Yes, but they have their parents there," Yusei replied, "I hope that everything with them will turn out all right." After a moment of silence. Yusei bit his lip and Martha had a confident look. There was only one person left to go. "What about Akiza?" Martha asked.

Yusei blushed and gasped. He tried to firm himself up and desperately tried to think of something to say, yet no words escaped his mouth. Martha smiled after the room was silent for a few moments. "Ahh, so you're going to miss Akiza the most," Martha concluded, "I'm sure that you've held special feelings for her for quite a long time." Yusei quickly stood up and leaned forward.

"I have not held special feelings for her!" Yusei quickly denied, but the blush on his face grew and made it more obvious. Martha just chuckled as she knew he was embarrassed about having special feelings for Akiza. She continued to smile at him. "Oh come now Yusei. I know that you've hidden your feelings for quite a while." Yusei sat down and looked at the table as Martha continued. "You act differently around her and I've noticed that you treat her differently too." Yusei just stared at his cup of hot apple cider, looking defeated. Martha, however, kept pushing the envelope.

"You said that you said goodbye to everyone and so that must mean that you said goodbye to Akiza too." Yusei nodded and Martha scooted her chair closer to him. "So what happened?" she asked in a excited tone.

Yusei sighed. Either he could come out with it now and get it over with or wait until later. Considering that Martha was pushing him for information, he deiced to come clean now and just get it over with. He sighed and he then started to speak.

"Well, you see, I was coming home last night and she was the last person I hadn't talked to yet. When I opened the garage door, she was standing there, waiting for me. I went to turn on the light switch and she told me to stop. I did and then she said that she had been thinking for a long time. She also said that she could not show me her face. So, I went up to her and I was very concerned about her." Martha nodded as he continued. "She asked me if I was going to be the only one there and I told her I was. I then asked her what was wrong and she said that wanted to give me a proper goodbye." Martha smiled. "That sounds like something Akiza would want to do," Martha noted and Yusei smiled as well. "I told her that I understood as well. Then, she got really nervous and said, 'Yusei, I have always loved..." Yusei stopped.

"What?" Martha asked, "You?" Yusei bit his lip. "She stopped herself right there, so she said 'Yusei, I have always loved...'"

"You," Martha finished. Yusei nodded. "I was pretty sure that's what she meant. See, she gasped and then shook her head. After a moment, she smiled at me and said, 'I love that I met you.'" Martha looked curiously at him. "Why do you think she stopped and then changed what she said?" Yusei looked hard at the table, as he was still too nervous to look Martha in the eye.

"I think...she was afraid. She wanted to give me a proper goodbye and that saying that she loved me was not it. I think that, no matter my response, it might have turned bad. If I said I did too, then she might not have left and if I said no, that would leave her heartbroken." Martha nodded. "So what happened next?"

"Well, I thought about it for a moment and why she might have stopped. After coming to the conclusion that she was doing it to give me a proper goodbye, I smiled back, looked her right in the eyes, and said that I also loved that I met her." Martha smiled. "That sounds so sweet," Martha commented, "So what happened next?"

"Well, she smiled, but then turned to the side and said that she was afraid of me the first time we met." Martha wanted him to clarify something for her. "So, was that when you were in that Fortune Cup tournament or when you were with Leo?" Yusei smiled. "That was with Leo and, to be honest, I was afraid of her too. So...I laughed." Martha raised her eyebrows. "You laughed?" Yusei nodded. "I just...was so surprised that she felt the same way. I didn't laugh like super long or anything, but I laughed and told her that I felt the same way. She was really scary and then...I said something I shouldn't have." Martha's smile quickly turned into a frown.

"Oh Yusei, what did you do?" Yusei quickly put his hands up defensively and finally looked at her. "It was nothing," he replied quickly and nervously, "I just said I was nervous of what would have happened to all the Signers if we lost to her." Martha put her hand to her chin as Yusei took another sip of cider. "That doesn't seem too upsetting," Martha noted as Yusei sighed happily as he swallowed some more of his cider. "Yeah, but Akiza was upset about it," Yusei responded. "She made a fist like this..." He made a fist with his right hand. "And then she said 'Huh? You really thought that?'" Martha raised her eyebrows. "Well, that doesn't surprise me. Akiza certainly can stick up for herself." Yusei let out a chuckle. "Yeah she can." Martha chuckled as well. "Well, what did you do to calm her down?"

Yusei took a deep breath. He knew this was the moment of truth. "Well...I walked up to her and..." He looked at Martha's hands. "Could...you make a fist with your right hand? It'll be easier to show it to you." Martha nodded and made a fist. She noticed that there was some excitement and happiness in his voice and facial expressions as he continued. "Okay, so I looked her in the eyes and walked up to her. I then said, 'Akiza, don't forget to smile.'" Martha looked curiously at him. "Don't worry. It'll make sense in a minute," Yusei replied, "Now she loosed up fist a little so..." He twirled his right pointer finger and Martha followed his instructions as Yusei then grabbed her hand.

"After I told her don't forget to smile, I then grabbed her hands like this and said..." Yusei stopped as he suddenly realized that this was it. His face turned red and his voice suddenly got nervous. "What did you say?" Martha asked. Yusei looked down, like a shy little boy, and talked very slowly. "I said...'Akiza don't forget to smile. There's...no one in the world..." Yusei quickly mummbled the last few words as he looked away. "With a smile better than yours."

"What?" Martha asked, "I didn't hear the end of it. "There's no one in the world..." Yusei's face turned even redder. He tiled his head down towards his hands and closed his eyes. "With a smile better than yours," he finished very loudly. Martha gasped and she even blushed. Yusei's eyes remained closed as Martha finally spoke. "Oh Yusei," she said in a gasp. Finally, Yusei slowly and nervously opened both eyes. Once they were opened, he looked up at Martha. Her face beamed with happiness as she spoke up again. "Oh Yusei!" she cried even louder as she let go of his hands. She quickly wrapped her arms tightly around him as she leaned forward to hug him. Yusei just sat there flushing red and embarrassed. Martha had a huge smile on her face and she started to laugh.

"Oh Yusei," she said more calmly as she stopped shaking him. She leaned back and gently pinched his left cheek with her right hand, "I always knew there was a romantic side of you that you keep hidden deep down inside." Yusei just sat there embarrassed as he hadn't even gotten to the most romantic part yet. He remained quiet as Martha laughed and smiled, especially since Yusei had finally opened up to someone for the very first time. Once Martha got her laughter and smiling done she sat back down in her seat. "So, what happened after that?" Yusei smiled.

"Well, Akiza stood there stunned, but then...she smiled back," Yusei recalled, "She then put her left hand on top of mine and her right hand. She then said that..." Yusei looked towards his right shoulder in embarrassment. "I was the reason for her smile. I was...the one who put it on her face." Martha sighed happily. "So, she returned your feelings?" Yusei nodded, but didn't continue until Martha asked. "So, you're holding hands and it's obvious she likes you," Martha recapped, "So...did something happen afterwards?" Yusei decided not to get specific details and decided to let Martha figure out what happened.

"Well...yeah. So then...I leaned forward and then she leaned forward," Yusei said as he looked at the table, "And then she got nervous and then I got nervous and then she closed her eyes and I closed my eyes and we..." Yusei shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as he looked up at her. "You know."

Martha looked at him for a moment in confusion. He could tell when she finally understood. Martha gasped and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She then leaned forward, so close in fact that Yusei had to lean slightly back. "Yusei," Martha said softly, "Are you saying that Akiza and you...kissed?" Yusei put his both his eyes diagonally right, as he tried to look away nervously. "Well...um...yeah," he said softly. Martha gasped. "Oh Yusei!"

Almost as a replay of a few moments earlier, Martha wrapped Yusei in a tight hug. "Your very first kiss!" she cried happily as she wiggled Yusei and his lanky frame. When she finally let go, she gave him a soft nudge, with her elbow, into his side. "And with such a cute one too!" Yusei blushed even more as he looked away. "Um...yeah." Martha sat back down in her seat.

"So, what happened after you kissed?" Yusei blushed and Martha giggled. "She...asked if we could stay in contact while she was away," Yusei recalled. "And what did you say?" Martha asked, "It's going to be hard with her being several hours ahead."

"Well..." Yusei started as he scratched the back of his head with his right hand, "I said of course we could stay in touch and that she could contact me whenever she wanted." Martha winked at him. "Isn't that cute? You want her to stay in touch. Like a long distant couple." Yusei gasped at the word "couple."

"Well, see, we're not always going to be long distance," Yusei noted as he scratched the back of his head some more, "You see...Akiza has her school breaks for Christmas and Summer, so she'll be back here in a few months." Martha gasped and couldn't help herself. She leaned forward and cupped Yusei's face. "Aww. My little Yusei's going to get to spend Christmas with his sweetheart. Isn't that adorable?" Yusei just sat there red in the face as Martha laughed.

"Ohhhhh, you two are going to be so cute together," Martha replied as she continued to gently cup Yusei's face, "You two are going to make a such great couple." Martha let go of him, but Yusei bit his lip. "But...see...neither one of us has ever been in a relationship before, so...we don't exactly know what to do." Martha folded her arms and smiled knowingly. "Well, you're going to be kissing and hugging _a lot_. That's for sure." Yusei blushed.

"Wh...what makes you think that?" Yusei asked as he suddenly started feeling a little shy, embarrassed, and nervous all at once. Martha giggled. "Yusei, I have always known that, deep down inside, you're a very affectionate guy. In fact, you showed a little bit of that when you were growing up. You always enjoyed giving me hugs and kisses." Martha smile went away as she looked to her left. "But...as you grew older, I get the feeling that Jack and Crow started getting to you." Yusei shifted in his seat and became confused. "What are you talking about?" Martha looked back at him.

"Jack and Crow have always been serious, tough, "manly guys", who never enjoyed giving me affection. In fact, I would many times have to ask them for a hug or kiss or I had to force them to give me one. Since you became like brothers. you were peer pressured, and stopped showing that side of you." Yusei was now upset. "What are you talking about?" Yusei asked yet again, "I still give you hugs and kisses! We did that when I came in!" Martha nodded.

"Yes you did, but many times it was when Jack and Crow were not around. If they were there, you held back a lot, like they did. Once they were gone, however, you opened up. I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about and I'm sure you still are that affectionate guy." Yusei blushed and looked at the table in embarrassment.

"In fact, I'm sure Akiza would love it if you opened up and showed that side of you more often." Yusei looked up and he looked worried as Martha continued. "I know that last night you only scratched the surface of just how affectionate and romantic you truly are Yusei. I'm sure that Akiza would love it if you showed her even more affection and if you opened up that side of you. The one that you've held deep down inside." Martha smiled. "Open up that side of you. Embrace it and accept it."

Yusei quickly responded. "But...what will Jack and Crow think?" Martha frowned. "You see. This is _exactly_ what I was talking about. Why does it matter what _t__hey think?_ Shouldn't it matter how _Akiza _feels and thinks?" Yusei looked away, with a nervous look on his face. As he spoke, his face matched his voice and was full of concern. "But...what _will_ people think? What _will_ Akiza think? What _will_ Jack and Crow think? How would they feel if I suddenly turned into a lovey dovey romantic and affectionate guy?" Martha smiled.

"Well, based on what happened last night, I'm sure Akiza would love it." Yusei gasped as Martha smiled at him. "How do you know?" he asked. Martha giggled. "I...have my ways." Yusei leaned forward and was full of questions. "What ways? How do you know? Did you talk to Akiza? What did she say?" Martha smiled and laughed again. "I know...because I talked to her parents." Yusei was puzzled. "When did you do that?" Martha rolled her eyes. "How else do you think all of your friends' luggage got to the airport?"

Yusei gasped. Now it made sense. Since they were all riding their runners and duel boards, they couldn't have carried their luggage to the airport. So, Martha and Akiza's parents had brought it there for them. "Wait," Yusei said once he understood, "Did they tell you about what happened last night?" Martha nodded and Yusei gasped again. "You knew?" Martha smiled. "Yes, but I still wanted to know how long it would be until you finally told me and I also wanted to know how you felt about the whole situation." Yusei smiled. That was typical Martha. "So, how did I do?"

Martha stood up and put her left hand on his right shoulder. "I think you did a wonderful job," she said and Yusei stood up as well. "So...uh...what did her parents say?" Yusei asked curiously. Martha made a zipper motion on her lips. "That's for me to know and you to find out," she replied. Yusei frowned as Martha turned around and put her right pointer finger in the air. "But...there's no stopping me from telling them about what _you said." _Yusei's face froze and he looked worried. "But Martha..." Yusei whined. Martha just laughed as she turned around. "Don't worry Yusei." She patted his shoulder. "Everything will be just fine." Yusei sighed.

"Well...see...I also need your advice," Yusei started, "You see...I feel these special feelings for Akiza and well...I don't know how to handle them." Martha smiled. "Just open up and show Akiza just how affectionate and loving you truly are Yusei." She paused for a moment to look at him. "If you be yourself, then you can't lose." Yusei looked at her in awe for a moment before smiling.

"Okay. I know what I could do." He then ran towards the door. "Whoops," he said before quickly turning back to Martha. He went up to her. "Thanks for everything Martha." He gave her a hug and a kiss on her right cheek, before turning around again and heading for the door. Martha put her right hand on the spot where he kissed her. "That's my Yusei," she said as Yusei ran out the door and to his runner.

When he got back home, he went upstairs, to his desk, where his laptop sat. He knew he was going to spend a lot more time on it and he smiled once he got it fired up. After making a few clicks, he quickly started typing.

Akiza was still on the plane when she heard the pilot talk over the communication system. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be arriving at our destination in about 30 minutes." Akiza smiled and held onto her carry on bag. Once she got off the plane and into the airport, she spotted someone holding a sign that said "New Domino City Abroad Students." She smiled as a younger woman with short brown hair instructed her where to go.

Once she got into a designation van, all the students were shuttled to a large apartment complex, where the students studying abroad would stay. Akiza had reserved an apartment all to herself. She smiled once she got her key and opened the door. It had a small bed, not exactly fancy, along with a small desk to do schoolwork. The desk was next to a window which overlooked the city. The room was a regular white and had it's own small bathroom and shower. Since Akiza was going to such a nice school, it was only fair to have a few small perks.

Akiza started getting some of her things out of her large briefcases. She got her laptop and put it on the desk. Akiza then wondered how the internet connection was from her room. She turned it on and, sure enough, her room had good connection. 'Maybe I should check my e-mails,' Akiza thought as she went around to a few sites. She then signed into her e-mail account and she was surprised to have 2 e-mails in her inbox. She gasped and smiled happily when she saw one was from her parents and one was from Yusei, with his coming first.

Although Akiza didn't like playing favorites, she instantly decided to open her parents first, as she was nervous as to what Yusei had to say. Akiza smiled as her parents e-mail was full of concern and reminders. "Did you make it out okay? Was there a lot of turbulence? Did anyone stink up the bathroom?" he parents asked along with reminders like, "Don't forget to change your underwear every time you shower. Make sure you don't go out and get into trouble. And if you need new or bigger bras, here's the custom size form to fill out, just in case you forgot." Akiza smiled as she read the e-mail and quickly responded. Her parents cared so much about her and she loved the fact that they got in contact so soon. Once she replied back, Akiza took a deep breath.

She felt nervous as she slowly made her way towards clicking on the e-mail. 'Will he talk about the other night? What will he end with?' Akiza thought. She then narrowed her eyes as the cursor went towards the e-mail. She closed her eyes and clicked.

**A/N: Sorry for the awkward ending, but I wanted to have something to work with on the next Chapter. **

**Thanks for waiting and please review if you can!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4!**

**Here's the next Chapter! Hope you enjoy it!**

As Akiza slowly opened her eyes, she was surprised by what she saw. Yusei hadn't written a whole lot, but that didn't matter to her. She then started to read.

Akiza,

I...I don't know what to say. I've...never written one of these before. I...hope that your flight over was okay. Jack's told me that there can be a lot of turbulence, so I hope you didn't have to deal with that too much. I hope that your new apartment is okay and you got all your luggage unpacked.

Don't worry about contacting me right away Akiza. I want you to be able to settle in and get comfortable in your new surroundings. As always, feel free to contact me whenever you have the time Akiza. I don't want you to push yourself too hard. I really care about you.

Yusei

Akiza blushed when she finished. It was clear that Yusei wrote her that e-mail. No one was looking over his shoulder as he was writing and it was clear that he wrote that from the bottom of his heart. No, Yusei didn't mention the other night. No, he didn't say "Your friend" or "I love you." But the fact that he said that he cared about her made her feel the same emotions. He made her know that he was thinking about her.

Akiza quickly hit the "Reply" button. 'I've got to tell him that I feel the same way!' Akiza thought. Then, she gasped and stopped herself. "No," she said aloud, "Yusei wanted me to get settled in and be comfortable." She pushed herself back from her desk. "I think I'll wait." She got up and looked at her laptop. She really wanted to reply back. The joy she was feeling, not just because of what he said, but also the fact that he contacted her so soon was incredible. He really did care about her and she wanted him to know that she felt the same way about him. She sighed as she shut down her computer and closed it. She looked back to her still almost fully packed luggage. For a moment Akiza felt a little sad.

However, she soon smiled as she went back over to it. This is what Yusei wanted her to do, get settled in. That is what she was going to do. She started unloading her things and started deciding where to put them.

The next day, Yusei awoke to a bright sun shining into his room. He laid up and groaned loudly. It honestly felt good not having Jack and Crow arguing to wake him up or, even worse, hearing the sound of something breaking. As Yusei looked around, he knew that this was one of the last days he would be living here. He sighed as he looked around his room, noticing all the stuff he would have to bring over to the Tops. He lied back down and groaned again. "Ugh! I'll have to start packing today!" Yusei said aloud. He put his eye-cover onto the night stand and got out of bed.

As he went past his desk, he couldn't help, but notice his laptop sitting there. It was closed, but Yusei felt the urge to open it. 'Did she reply back? Did I say the wrong things?' Yusei thought. He heard his stomach make a noise and he put his hand on it. "No. That can't wait." He started walking again. "I can do it later."

He went downstairs and opened up the cupboard. He then grabbed a cereal bowl and some oatmeal. After he put it in the microwave, he knew he had some time before it would cool down to his preferred taste. 'I could use that time to...' He shook his head. As much as he cared about Akiza, he knew that he shouldn't be waiting on pins and needles for her to reply back. Plus, there were probably going to be days that she didn't reply back at all. Yusei closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the microwave beeped.

"Just calm down Yusei. It's not a life or death situation."

After a few minutes, the oatmeal had cooled down and he put some cinnamon on top. He set the bowl on the table, grabbed a spoon, and started eating. After eating a few spoonfuls, he suddenly stopped. For some reason, he didn't feel hungry anymore and his nerves were getting to him. Yusei took a deep breath and thought to himself. 'Okay. If you eat and then brush your teeth _then _you can check your e-mails.'

He nodded and then quickly finished his bowl. He quickly poured himself a glass of cranberry juice and gulped it down. He quickly put the bowl and glass in the sink and ran to the bathroom. After what felt like the longest two minutes of brushing his teeth, plus waiting exactly 30 seconds for mouthwash, he finally was finished. He took his hair brush to where his desk was and brushed his hair as his laptop started. He quickly logged in, got onto the internet, and signed in for his e-mail. Before it could load, he put his hand over where the number of new messages would appear. He slowly moved his hand, until he saw the result.

There wasn't a number one. Heck, there wasn't any number at all.

Yusei frowned and his hair seemingly lowered as well. He hadn't gotten a new message from Akiza. Yusei sighed and started going to some of the usual sites he visited. He tried to watch some videos to cheer himself up. Although he was able to laugh, there was no denying that he still was disappointed that there wasn't a new message from her. He sighed and checked the time. 10:30. Yusei sighed again. 'Maybe I should go to Martha's,' Yusei thought, 'Maybe she'll want some of the things that I won't need when I move.'

He got up and then turned back to his laptop. He checked his watch again. "Well, there's still a chance she'll e-mail me during the day." He smiled. "I'll bring this just in case." He picked it up and headed for his runner. As he did, he opened the compartment for his helmet and took it out. He the took his laptop and put it inside. He kept moving it around until he got it to fit snugly in. He then put on his helmet and pushed his runner up the ramp. He got on and then drove over to Martha's.

Once he got there, he took off his helmet and smiled. Martha could always help him when he was down. Since he had to work the next day, he knew he wouldn't be here all day. However, he hoped that, at some point, he would receive a message from Akiza. He grabbed his laptop and went to the front door. Before he could knock, Martha opened it for him.

"Yusei. I'm so happy to see you!" Martha looked down. "Oh. Do you have some work to do?" Yusei shook his head. "No. I just thought I'd bring it." Martha looked curiously at him and then smiled. "Oh. Well okay. Come on in." Yusei nodded and he came inside. However, unlike the day before, Yusei set his laptop down, and gave Martha a big hug. "Oh! That's my Yusei," Martha said happily. They let go and Yusei took the laptop to the kitchen. He set it down on the table as Martha sat down as well.

"Did you get to eat breakfast?" Martha asked. Yusei nodded. "Just a bowl oatmeal," he replied. Martha looked at him. _"Just a bowl of oatmeal?" _Yusei nodded. "Yeah. So what?" Martha stood up. "You're a growing boy Yusei. How about I make you some eggs?" Yusei looked startled. "Martha. I'm not a growing boy anymore. You don't need to..." But Martha wouldn't listen. She got out a pan and went to the fridge. Yusei sighed as she started cooking. "Do you want toast?" she asked. Yusei smiled. "Yes please." Martha smiled at him and went back to cooking.

Once Yusei had finished eating, he had a plate and glass of juice clean. As he wiped his mouth, he burped very loudly. Martha frowned at him. "Yusei!"

"Excuse me," Yusei replied, "Sorry Martha." He took his plate and glass to the sink. "Thanks again Martha," Yusei said and he went back to the table. "Well, I have to do the laundry," Martha said as she got up. "I'll be going online," Yusei said and Martha nodded. She went off and got started on the laundry. Yusei went and quickly checked his e-mail. He sighed again. No new e-mails. He went and started looking up other sites.

Yusei periodically checked his e-mail, still not getting one. However, after he hadn't check for almost an hour, he went back and checked. He gasped when he saw a "1" by his inbox. He looked in and saw "Akiza Izinski" on the responders list. He took a few deep breaths. "It's okay Yusei. It's Akiza. I'm sure it'll be a good e-mail." He took one more deep breath and clicked.

As Yusei read the e-mail, Martha had a basket full of laundry. She walked past the entryway to the kitchen and looked over at Yusei, who was still on his laptop. She saw his face was beaming with a smile and she could even see a small blush on his face. Martha smiled. Obviously, whatever Yusei was seeing on the screen was important. She set the basket down and walked over to him. She leaned over and tried to look at the screen. "What are you reading Yusei?"

Yusei broke out of his trance and quickly shut his laptop. "Uh...nothing," he replied nervously as he scratched his head and closed his eyes. Martha smiled knowingly. "Well obviously it was something important. You were smiling and had a blush on your face." Yusei reopened his eyes. "You saw me?" he asked and Martha nodded. She picked up laptop. "So, what did it say?" Martha asked as she reopened the laptop. Yusei stood up. He entered his password and looked away as he hit enter.

As the screen went back to it's regular look, Martha saw the e-mail and smiled. "So, it's an e-mail from Akiza." Martha smiled as Yusei sat down. "Lets read it!" Martha said happily. Yusei frowned as she started.

"Dear Yusei,

I'm so happy that you contacted me so soon! Don't worry! My flight had some turbulence, but it wasn't too bad. I also unpacked and organized most of my things. So, I can now relax a little bit, until my classes start this week. I hope they won't be too tough!"

Martha looked over at Yusei. "So you contacted Akiza already?" Martha asked. Yusei nodded slowly. "Oh, that's so sweet!" She then went back to the e-mail.

"I'm so happy that you care about me Yusei! You've always been such a good friend and I really want you to know that I care about you just as much. Thanks for contacting me Yusei and I can't wait to hear from you again. But don't worry if you don't contact me right away! I want you to be comfortable and relaxed as well. I hope everything is going well for you Yusei and I know that losing so many of your friends was hard. The twins told me to say hello for them, when I had to catch a connection flight in London. So, we're all thinking about you too!

Sincerely,

Akiza."

As Martha looked from the screen to Yusei, she had a huge smile on her face. She set the laptop down and put her right hand on Yusei's right shoulder. "I'm so proud of you Yusei," Martha said as she gently shook his shoulder. Yusei just sat there stunned and at the same time embarrassed. What Akiza said made him happy. After all, most guys would love it to have a girl that cares about them so much. Still, after a moment of reading the e-mail again, he smiled.

"I'm...really happy that I'm her friend," Yusei said. He looked at Martha as he got up. He checked the time again. "Well, I have a question for you Martha." She smiled at him. "What's that?"

"Is there anything that you need from our house before I move to the Tops?" Martha looked surprised, but quickly regained herself. "No Yusei. I have everything I need. Besides, you're forgetting that Zora owns the house. So, if there's something left, she can get it for me." She then gave him a gentle nudge in the side. "And she says that she's really going to miss you. You were her favorite out of you, Jack, and Crow." Yusei rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I_ kinda_ knew that already." Martha chuckled and Yusei shut down his laptop. He then tucked it under his arm.

"Well, I'd better get going. I have some stuff to pack and then I'll move it to the Tops." Martha looked a little stunned. "How are you going to do that?" she asked, "You can't pack your things on your runner." Yusei shrugged. "Well, I can try to...uh..." Martha smiled. _"Yusei. Use my car."_ Yusei shook his head. "No Martha. You need it and..." Martha shook her head. "Yusei..." Yusei sighed and Martha headed to the door. "Follow me." Yusei followed her outside.

Martha had previously owned an old used car. However, she was given a new one after the Signers had saved the world from the Dark Signers. Many people that pitched in were from Satellite, but a lot were also from New Domino City. People wanted to know who raised some of the Signers and, after a story was done on her, the donations poured in. Martha then offered the car to her three boys, because they moved to New Domino City during the winter time, they needed to move some things, and they couldn't use their runners on the snowy roads. Once they got settled in and the weather warmed up from the bitterly cold winter, Martha was given the car back. Yusei and herself went to the side of the house where the car was. It was a small green car, that got great renewable fuel mileage, and it was perfect for her.

"But Martha, what are you going to do to get around?" Yusei asked. Martha smiled. "I have plenty of people that are willing to drive me around. There's Blister, Dr. Schmidt, and a bunch of other people." Yusei still felt guilty. "But how will.." Martha put a finger to her lips. "Nonsense Yusei. You can have the car for a few days while you move you things. I'll drive it over with you and then I can have someone pick me up." Yusei was going to deny it again, but knew it was useless. Martha took the keys from her pocket and Yusei sighed. "I'll get my helmet," he said unenthusiastically.

Once Yusei was ready, Martha got in the driver's seat and they went off. They soon went back to Yusei's house and Martha smiled as she got out. "Since I'm already here. I think I'll visit Zora for a little while." Yusei nodded and he went inside. He started looking for things that he was going to pack. He decided to re-check Jack and Crow's rooms.

To be honest, a lot of the things that Jack and Crow had made up the bulk of the house. Yusei went in where they slept and it was pretty much empty. He then went into his room and started looking around. He went under his bed and found some old stuff. A few pencils and pens he had probably dropped, some old shoes, and other stuff. He decided that he would go after work tomorrow to the Tops and bring this stuff first. He then dug around some more and found some other stuff that he had kept hidden from everyone else. He had a teddy bear from when he was little, a binder with some drawings that Martha had kept, and even a book with some personal writings in it.

After taking out everything from under the bed, he placed it in a large box and then checked the clock. It was almost 6:30 and he decided to make dinner. Once he was finished eating, he heard the doorbell ring and he went to open it. Sure enough, it was Martha, who had the car keys in her hand. "Here you go Yusei." She put the keys in his hand. "Now I want to make sure that you take as much time as you need to move your stuff. I don't want you rushing just to give me the car back." Yusei nodded. "I will Martha. Don't worry." Martha smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, my little boy is moving to a big apartment, where I know he will have so much fun." Yusei smiled. "Don't worry Martha. I'll still come visit you. Just like when I was living here." Martha nodded. "All right. Well, I'll see you later Yusei." She headed for Zora's house, where Zora was going to take her home. Yusei waved to her and then shut the door.

The next day, Yusei went to work, on what was a usual boring day. Nothing eventful happened and, once the day was over, Yusei walked outside to Martha's car. He got inside and drove over to the Tops. There was a security checkpoint and Yusei showed them the pass he was given to by the twins. The security officer nodded and he parked the car inside the big parking lot. Once he was parked, he grabbed the box full of stuff, and went inside. He rode the elevator up to the top floor, which only contained two apartments. One was still the twins and the other was for himself. He looked at the hallway, which held the two apartments.

"It's so weird," Yusei said, "I've been up here a hundred times, but it feels so weird without the twins being here." He stared at their side of the hallway and then went to his door. He opened it up and then gasped when he went inside. It was an exact replica of the twins apartment, only this one was all his. He went upstairs and to one of the bedrooms. He opened the door and was stunned to see something on the bed. He set the box down and went over to it. It was an envelope and he sat down on the bed. He carefully opened it up, thinking it was something from the Top's owner or something. To his surprise, it was a card.

The card had "Thank you" on the front, written in dark red letters and it had a light pink background. He opened it, to find a picture of all of his friends. "Thank you Yusei for everything you have done!" It was then signed by Jack, Crow, Leo, Luna, and Akiza. Yusei smiled. As he looked at the card, he knew that Akiza and the twins were doing okay. But then it hit him:

How were Jack and Crow doing?

**A/N: The next Chapter will answer the question above.**

**Sorry for the delay! I had a test this week and I was studying for that.**

**I also want to inform you that, since this next week is Easter, I will be working almost everyday. I apologize if the next Chapter takes a while to get out.**

**Thanks for your support and, if you are able, please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5!**

**A/N: This Chapter has a little update on Jack and Crow as well as Yusei and Akiza going a tiny bit further into their long distance relationship.**

As Jack and Crow left New Domino City, they both knew that they would return one day. However, when that day was, they were not sure. Despite having the Kaiba Dome as a good facility, the Professional Turbo Dueling Circuit decided to move the major events to other cities, as a change of scenery. The team circuit that Crow was running in also did not have a yearly stop in New Domino either. So, Jack and Crow were not sure when they might have the chance to come back.

For Jack, announcing his return to the Professional Circuit needed to be in typical Jack Atlas style. That meant big lights, lots of cameras, and in a place where a lot of people would see him. After checking the schedule, Jack smiled when he saw where the next stop on the circuit was: New York City. So, Jack's flight was going to go there, but before his announcement, he needed to get a few things in order.

First, he needed an agent. Being a former champion meant that he would not have the same trouble as other duelists. So, after looking for a few, Jack narrowed his list down to a few of them. After he got to New York, he interviewed each one, looking for qualities that they could satisfy his every need. He even wrote a list down and graded each one with a score:

1. Ability to get him exposure- Seeing that he is Jack Atlas meant that he wanted someone who could get him seen as much as possibly. Having a great dueling record would help as well, but Jack looked for ones who had connections to TV stations, advertisers, and the ability to get him autograph sessions. Jack knew that, not only would would he have to satisfy advertisers, but fans as well. So, he wanted to make sure he covered both bases.

2. Ability to get him to duel- Jack had dueled multiple times for things outside of the pro circuit, such as charity gigs, advertising events, and other such things. So, he wanted to make sure that he access to them as much as possible meaning that he could get #3 on his list.

3. Ability to get him money-After spending a couple of years with little money, especially after his fallout as "King" Jack wanted to make as much money as possible. Only the best things in life were worthy of his standards (aka Blue Eyes Mountain Coffee), so that meant he needed money. Although he would still be a little low on funds for a little while, he knew that they money would soon be flowing in, and that meant he needed someone who could get him that.

4. Ability to negotiate deals- Jack knew the classic battle of getting an advertiser, charity, or other organization to get him to do something. As with the previous above, he needed someone who could get him into a deal with him sacrificing as little as possible. Of course, this wouldn't be much of a problem when it came to being a champion, as they would do anything to have him advertise something.

After doing the interviews, he quickly decided on one who was good in all of the categories. Jack quickly ordered him to set up a news conference, so that he would be able to make his announcement. Jack, meanwhile, stayed in his fancy hotel room until he heard otherwise.

For Crow, his route was much different than Jack's. Unlink Jack, people saw him the WRGP, but otherwise his skills were not very well known about. So, Crow's path would be more along the lines of a traditional duelist. First off, Crow had made good money as a Sector Security officer, but he still couldn't afford a high price agent. Plus, he was going to the team dueling league, which was below the league Jack was in. That meant he would be making a lot less than him. It wasn't that Crow didn't want to go for a solo career like Jack, it was that he still found the team duels to be a challenge, but also fun. Getting be around your friends, thinking of strategies to combine with each other, plus hanging out before and after tournaments. It was still fresh in his mind how much fun he had dueling with Jack, Yusei, Leo, Luna, and Akiza. However, before Crow even signed with a team, he knew that he would have to see what spots were open on the free agency market. Crow would hate the thought of a team dumping off a duelist, just so that they could get him on board. That wasn't Crow's style and he only wanted to go to a team in need.

So, he first looked at what teams had opened spots. He then made a list of his top teams, along with looking up who were their sponsors. Since Crow knew his orphans were going to watch his duels either online or on TV, he was still going to have an influence on them. So, he made a list of what to and not to look for on his team:

1. No drugs, alcohol, or anything influential- Crow did not want his orphans getting into any of this. Despite Crow teaching them the dangers of it (especially after his time as a Sector Security officer), Crow did not want his orphans picking up a bottle of alcohol just to help him keep a sponsor. Despite the fact that there were relatively few alcohol sponsors, Crow still wanted to avoid them at all costs. He also did not want to be with a group that abused them either. Who Crow hanged out with affected his image as well. Jack and Yusei never used any drugs or alcohol (of course he knew that would change quickly when Jack soon turned 21). However, he still wanted a clean image for his orphans, as well as any kids who might look up to him. So, that meant keeping the drugs and alcohol out.

2. No suggestive sponsors or ones that did ads that were suggestive- Although Crow wouldn't mind to do an ad with him in swim trunks or something to show off his toned body, Crow refused to do something that implied a suggestive act. As stated before, his orphans or kids might see him and try it out. So, he tried to stay away from them.

3. Try to find one that had a supportive sponsor- Crow really was hoping to land on a team that had something good about them. Growing up poor made Crow want to be able to give back and he hoped to land a sponsor that shared those same goals. Maybe they donated food to poor people or helped rescue animals. If a team that was opened had one, it would instantly sky rocket up his list.

4. A good mix to combine decks- Of course he wanted to be able to work with the other ones on the team. Crow would hate it if he had to sacrifice his cards to work with others, so he wanted to avoid that as much as possible. Plus, it would be key if the team would become a rising team to look out for or a team on a downward spiral.

After checking out the sponsors and teams, Crow made a list. He then found some of the teams websites and videos of them. He then called the first team on the list and was met with a male voice. "Hello, Team Crisis. This is Chris speaking."

"Hello Chris. I'm Crow Hogan. I'd like to join your dueling team." There was a pause on the other end. "Crow Hogan. Crow Hogan. You're name sounds familiar." Crow grinned. "Yeah. I was in the WRGP with Team 5D's." Crow suddenly heard gasping on the other end.

"T...Team 5D's? The team that won it all?" Chris said in a shaking voice. Crow grinned. "That's the one. You're talking to the guy with orange hair and a Blackwing deck." Chris' voice was shaking. "A B...blackwing deck? That would be perfect for our team!" Crow nodded. "I know. That's why I thought I'd call you guys first." Chris started taking deep breaths. "Well, sure! We'd love to have you join! You could be the last duelist, since you're the best, and.."

"No. No. I don't want any special treatment," Crow replied, "I'll start as the first duelist and then move myself up. Besides, it's more of a challenge that way. Where are you guys right now?"

"We're currently at the last event," Chris replied, "It's wrapping up today. We're going to be in the seventeenth place match." Chris was hesitant in his next question. "Is there any other reason you decided to join our team? Besides the decks fitting well and stuff?" Crow was confident in his answer. "I like your guy's style, but you're young and around my age. Plus, I think you guys have a lot of potential."

"But...we didn't win rookie of the year or any awards that hint that we have potential," Chris noted. "I still see potential," Crow replied confidently, "I see you guys have some good decks that combine well and I know that with me on the team, we'll go far." Chris was stunned. The only other people that had so much confidence in him was his family. "Okay. Well, we're all living in..."

"I know where you guys are. I checked your site," Crow replied, "I'll be on a flight going there soon. Here's my number." After giving Chris his number, he told him that he couldn't wait to join the team. They said goodbye and Crow took a flight after he rode one last time with his friends. Once he got off of his flight, it was only a short walk from the airport to the team's address. Crow couldn't help, but smile when he saw the big garage and two young men working on their runners. Crow slyly leaned up against the wall, until they finally looked up and noticed him.

"Is there a team nearby that's looking for a duelist?" Crow asked as he turned to the two young men and smiled widely.

"Crow!" Chris said happily. He had short brown hair and the person next to him had long black hair. Both of them were a few inches taller than Crow. "I'm so happy you made it!" Chris said, "This is Daniel and we'll be your new teammates!" They shook hands. "Come on inside," Daniel said, "We'll fill out all the official stuff and then talk strategy." Crow's face beamed with joy. "Sounds great," he replied and they all went into the house.

Meanwhile, back in New Domino City, Yusei had just finished bringing over some things to his apartment. Now, he was only left with a few basic things to bring over, such as his sheets and some picture frames. As he went to sit down to his laptop, he saw on a sports website that Jack Atlas was making a comeback announcement. He clicked on a live feed of the conference, just as Jack was talking.

"I will go out and become the number one ranked duelist in the world!" Jack proclaimed as a bunch of photographers flashed lights at him. Jack grinned for the cameras. To be honest, it had taken him a few moments to get back into the grove of talking to the press. However, it was only a brief moment, before Jack got back into the joy of flashing lights and cameras recording him. As photographers took some more pictures, Jack looked around and enjoy being the spotlight again.

As Yusei watched, he couldn't help, but notice how Jack was acting like his old self. As Yusei went online, he kept checking the time. He kept looking at it, until he finally decided that it couldn't wait any longer. He got out his phone and dialed a number. He smiled once he heard a person talk and then a beep sound was made.

Over in Germany, a few hours later, Akiza was getting ready for her first day of school. She was brushing her hair, which had gone back to it's old form once she had arrived in Germany. It had the familiar two bangs in the front, short hair around her head, and hair clip for her bangs. Akiza had tried for a new look, but after trying a few different styles, she decided that she liked her old style the best. As she hummed happily. she had her phone sitting on the counter. Once she was done brushing and put the brush away, she picked up her phone and saw that she had a missed call. Akiza saw who it was and gasped.

It was Yusei and he had called at 3 in the morning. Akiza started to become worried and quickly clicked to hear the call. It was then that she heard Yusei's voice.

"Hey Akiza. Don't worry if you missed this call. Nothing bad happened and no one is in trouble. If this is too late, I apologize. I just wanted to wish you good luck on your first day of school. You are so smart Akiza! I know you're way on your way to becoming a doctor someday." Akiza smiled as he continued.

_"Oh yeah. Don't forget to smile Akiza. There's no one in the world with a smile better than yours." _Akiza blushed as Yusei finished the call. "I'll talk to you later. Okay. Buh Bye."

Akiza was still blushing and looked stunned as she turned off her phone. Yusei had called her, to wish her good luck on her first day. She smiled the smile that Yusei loved so much. It was yet another sign that Yusei was thinking about her and that he also cared about her. The thing Akiza was most happy about was that she got to hear the call by herself and chances are Yusei recorded it by himself. So, it was a conversation that only they knew about. Akiza soon broke out of her trance and grabbed her school things. As she walked outside of the apartment complex, she thought to herself:

'Thank you Yusei. It's so nice to hear your voice again.' She looked up and was about to enter the school. "I know I can do this!" Akiza said aloud to herself and confidently walked into school.

**A/N: I hoped you liked the little YuseixAkiza scene at the end.**

**The next one will have a Chapter about the twins (mostly Luna). Yusei and Akiza will meet up again after that one. ;)  
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**Thanks for your support!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6!**

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I had a stomach virus over the weekend and it limited me from writing. **

**I also got rid of the last request for Jack in the last Chapter. So, he's not going to have other women involved. I apologize if you were upset.  
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**I also apologize, as I thought that I could fit two Chapters into one, but after writing this one, the Chapter was already quite long. So, the next one will mainly focus on Luna and then be followed by Yusei and Akiza. Also, the reason their parents do not have a description or name is that since they are not shown in the show, I will not describe them. I tend to think that their faces are darkened with only their mouths showing.  
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**Anyways, here's the next Chapter starring both of the twins.**

When the twins were heading for London, they weren't sure what to think. They hadn't been in contact with their parents for almost 10 years and them suddenly wanting to see them felt odd. Their parents had always been away on business and the twins, in all honesty, got used to not having them around. Sure, they had teachers, tutors, and apartment workers to help them if they had any problems, but even before they met Yusei and everyone else, their life wasn't too bad. They figured out what foods to buy and not to buy, how much candy and such should be bought for holidays, and they got used to taking care of themselves.

Akiza rode with them on their flight across the pond to London, before catching another flight to Germany. The twins told her to tell Yusei they said "hi" and she had been good to her word. When the twins got to the terminal, they looked around for their parents. They weren't sure what they looked like now and they weren't given a description in the e-mail. As they walked, they soon found a man near the entrance/exit with a sign that had "Leo & Luna" in big bold letters. The twins smiled and went up to the man in a suit.

"Ah, you must be Leo and Luna. Follow me," he said in a British accent. He then lead them to a limo outside and the twins got in the backseat. To their surprise, their parents weren't there either. The man then put their luggage into the trunk. He got into the front seat and started driving. As they rode, Luna could tell that Leo wasn't very happy. She decided to confront him about it. She looked around and soon found a switch to raise a black glass, to keep their conversation private. She raised it and the butler looked over his shoulder briefly before focusing again on driving.

"Leo what's wrong?" Luna asked, "You look upset." Leo had his arm crossed and frown on his face. He turned to Luna.

"Don't you think it's kind of fishy how our parents don't contact us for 10 years and then suddenly decide to randomly contact us out of no where?" Luna looked down slightly. "Yeah. I know Leo, but shouldn't we at least give them a chance? Maybe they've changed." Leo wasn't convinced. "Sis, we've been just fine on our own. We don't need them telling us what to do or how to live our life. Besides, we're old enough now to start making decisions for ourselves." Luna nodded.

"I know Leo, but you've got to give them a second chance. I'm just as puzzled and upset about this as you are. All right? But lets give them a second chance. If they turn out to be really nice, then maybe we could forgive them for what happened."

_"Maybe,"_ Leo replied hesitantly, "But what if they turn out to be just like before?" Luna smiled. "If they turn out to be jerks, then we don't have to deal with them anymore. We have plenty of people that care about us and besides _we can always move back to New Domino City." _Leo, for the first time since he got in, smiled at her. "Okay," he said a little happier as Luna put her right hand on his shoulder and smiled. A few moments later, the car stopped, and Luna rolled down the black glass. "We're here," the driver said aloud and the twins got out of the car. They looked on in awe.

They were in front of a large apartment complex that was very large and white. It had a brown roof and a balcony for every room. On the top floor appeared to be only one room. It was then that they saw two people standing at the front door. "Leo! Luna!" their father called to them. The twins walked up to them and the driver brought up their luggage. "Butler, please bring their items inside," the twins' mother ordered. Sebastian put his arm in front of him and bowed in the usual butler manner. "As you wish ma'am." He then wheeled their luggage, which was green for Leo and red for Luna, inside. The twins then looked up at their parents as their father bended down to them.

"Come on Leo give your father a hug." Leo frowned and, reluctantly, gave him a hug. Their mother got down as well. "You too Luna." Luna followed her brother's lead and reluctantly hugged her mother. After 10 long years, their parents were acting as though nothing had ever happened and the hugs felt cold and uncomfortable for the twins. They soon let go and their parents could see they were upset. "You two are just alike," their father noted as the twins folded their arms in disgust. "Come on," their mother said as she took each of their hands, "We're going to go shopping." As they walked, Luna smiled at Leo, who finally smiled back. Maybe a trip to the mall might not be so bad and it might help them talk about their problems.

As they rode in the limo, their conversation was rather awkward. Their mother asked them how they were doing, how was school, and other basic questions. With their parents never caring about them or asking these questions for 10 years, it felt as though they had only been separated a few months rather than years. With the way their parents were treating the situation, the twins answered with brief answers such as "Good" or "Fine." After going through this a number of times, their mother frowned.

"Look, I know this is tough for you two and I know it's awkward. It's awkward for all of us." The twins were still upset. "But we want you to know that we do care about you. We just want to make sure that you're making good choices and aren't heading in the wrong direction. We want to do what's best for you." Luna finally broke out of her upset shell and finally spoke up. "Okay mom." She put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "We'll do our best to try to make it less awkward." Leo smiled at his sister and unfolded his arms. "Yeah," he added, "We'll all try to make this easier." For once in the limo, everyone was in agreement and they soon were at the mall. "We're here," the limo driver announced and they all got out. The twin's father grabbed Leo's hand and their mother grabbed Luna's.

"Why don't each of you take us to a shop that you will enjoy the most," their father announced, "That way, we can know what you're really into?" The twins smiled. For once, their parents seemed as though they were caring about their opinions and smiled each other. "Okay," the two of them said in unison and they headed inside.

As Leo walked around with his Dad, he knew that he wanted to show him his love for Turbo Dueling. After about 20 minutes of walking, he found a shop that had lots of Turbo Dueling gear. A couple of model runners were at the front of the store and inside was lots more stuff. Hats, jackets, models of duelists, and posters too. He quickly saw one of Jack Atlas and went up to one. "Hey! Here's Jack!" Leo said enthusiastically. His father smiled. "So you like watching Turbo Duels do ya?" he said as he leaned against a glass case with bobble heads inside. Leo turned around to him. "Watch it? I want to race in it!" he said with excitement in his voice. Leo's dad was surprised and he became concerned. "But son, isn't that a bit of a stretch? I mean, not everyone makes it as a professional and besides it's very tough to get into." Leo nodded.

"I know Dad, but it's something that I really want to do. Once I can get my license I want to learn how to ride a duel runner and become a Turbo Dueling Champion!" Leo's father was still skeptical. "But son, it takes a lot of years and patience before you can start making really good money at it. Plus, what if things don't work out? What are you going to do for income then or even after your career is over?" Leo's enthusiasm wouldn't quit.

"Don't worry pops! I've got some friends that have connections to the professional leagues! Plus, I'll make so much money from endorsements and stuff that I'll never have to work again!" Leo's father bended down and put his hand on his right shoulder. "Look son. I love that you're so into Turbo Dueling and becoming a professional. It's not that I don't believe that you can do it, it's just that it's a very risky business and I don't want you to get so invested in it that you get stuck in a hole with no way out."

"But Dad," Leo said sadly, "Can't you at least let me _try_ to become one? It's my dream." Leo's dad frowned. "I'm sorry son, but it's just too risky. Plus, I'm not an expert at it and know almost nothing about the sport. You could try out for other sports, like soccer for instance." Leo frowned and was very upset. 'I don't want to try out for soccer. I want to try to become a Turbo Duelist!' His father then took his hand. "Come on, why don't I show you another store?" he asked and they went outside the store. They then walked towards a sports store and the older man lead him to the soccer section.

"I'm telling you Leo, this is the best game there ever is." Leo yawned as he looked around. He had no interest in soccer, but his Dad certainly did. They then went up to the counter. "Hey! You watching the big game tomorrow night?" the cashier asked. "Sure thing," the older gentlemen replied, "I'm going to watch it with my son." He then gestured to Leo, as he yawned yet again.

'Oh crap,' Leo thought.

At the other side of the mall, Luna led her mom into a store. Her mother smiled and was happy when she saw that she took her to a clothing store. Like Akiza, Luna had tried out different clothing and she eventually found one that she loved: short shorts. However, as she started looking around at them, her mother was concerned.

"Honey. Don't you wanna try and look at something else?" Luna didn't really notice her concern. "Not really," she said as she took a yellow one down from a rack and examined it. Luna's mother was confused as to why she was into this style. "Honey, what made you like this type of clothing?" Luna smiled and put the shorts back.

"Well, you see, I decided a few months ago to try different styles. The second I put these on, I instantly loved them. I had honestly never worn short shorts before and they felt so different than anything else. I really liked how it felt having them on. I also liked how they let my legs breath. I could wear them all year long!" Luna's mother tried to smile. "But doesn't it feel weird when the wind blows? Don't your legs get cold?" Luna shook her head. "I had to walk to Duel Academy, in my school uniform, during the really really cold winters. Don't you remember how cold New Domino City gets?" Luna's mother nodded.

"Yes and that's why just about anyplace was warmer than there," her mother noted. Luna nodded and then continued. "So, my legs have gotten use to the cold weather and not being covered, especially with wearing the black miniskirt. So, I don't like to cover my legs. They get too hot and sweaty." Luna's mother was now really worried. "But your wearing a dress right now," she noted as Luna was wearing a light pink dress. She pinched a part of the lower fabric and then realized just how loose the fabric was from her body. She could have easily pulled the dress off from over Luna's head. Luna's mother instantly frowned.

"Come on, lets go to another part of the store." She took Luna's hand and pulled her to a different part of the store. Luna looked around until her mother came with a dress. "Here. This will look better on you." Luna looked skeptically at it. It didn't match her style at all and it looked rather old fashioned. "Here. Try it on," her mother encouraged her. Luna sighed and took the dress. She went to the changing room and put it on. She went outside of the room and frowned. "Oh that looks so good on you," her mother said happily, "Lets look at some other ones!"

'Oh crap,' Luna thought.

Later, they all met up at the entrance. Leo and Luna were both not very happy. What had started as an opportunity to show their parents what _they _liked turned into a trip into what _their parents wanted_ them to like. They all climbed into the limo and rode home. "You see? Wasn't that fun?" their mother asked. "Oh yeah," the twins replied without any enthusiasm.

Once they got back, they followed their parents to the top floor. Their was only one apartment on the top floor and, surprise surprise, it was their parent's. They opened the door and they let the twins go in first. They looked around and it was different than their apartment in New Domino. This one was smaller and had curtains cover the edges of the windows, which overlooked London. They had a wooden kitchen and kitchen table. The living room had a red carpet (that reminded both of the twins of Akiza) and a leather couch that faced a giant TV. They were led to their rooms, which were painted purple and had black carpet (which reminded them of Yusei). They quickly hopped onto each of their beds and shut the door.

As they lied down, they both sighed. "Well, I guess this can't get any worse," Leo said once they told each other what happened. They both laid back down on their beds and were still tired from their flight. After taking a quick nap, they heard a knock on the door. "Leo. Luna," their father said softly, "Time to eat." The twins drowsily got up and off of their beds. At least_ they_ were nice and comfortable. The twins went into the kitchen and smiled when they saw what they were having: hotdogs and macaroni and cheese. They said grace and dug in. Once everyone got their food, their parents had some more questions for them.

"So...do you miss any of your friends back in New Domino City?" their mother asked. The twins both nodded. "Yeah. We really miss Yusei," Luna noted. "And who is this Yusei?" their father asked. Leo was so excited that he almost stood up out of his chair.

"Oh! I'll tell them!" he said excitedly, "He's this _really _nice guy! He grew up in the Satellite..." The twins' parents froze. "He...grew up in the Satellite?" their father asked hesitantly. Leo nodded as if it was no big deal. "Yeah, but now he lives in New Domino and he's a _really_ great duelist and..."

"Did he commit any crimes?" their mother asked. Leo and Luna looked nervously at one another. "Well...he did get arrested for going into New Domino without a permit," Luna replied. Their parents shook their heads in disgust. "But that's no longer a law now!" Leo said quickly, "Yusei can go wherever he wants now and that's his _only _criminal activity. In fact, I don't think it's even on his record anymore." However, their parents didn't listen. They were still upset that they were friends with a criminal. "What about your other friends?" their father asked. Luna smiled.

"We're really good friends with this girl named Akiza," Luna said happily. "I like that name," her mother responded and Luna nodded as well. "She's a really great duelist too and..."

"Did she grow up in the Satellite too?" the man of the house asked. Luna shook her head. "No. She grew up in New Domino and went to Duel Academy." Her mother was still curious. "Did she do anything criminal?" Luna bit her lip. "Well...she was know as the Black Rose and a witch, because she was a psychic duelist and had dueling powers that could hurt people." Their parents shook their head again and Luna pleaded with them. "But she doesn't use her powers to hurt people anymore and everyone she dueled is still here. Plus, she's really nice and..."

"She hurt people. No wonder she was called a witch," he mother said softly. Luna frowned and their parents asked them about their other friends. Crow was next and it wasn't long before they found out he was a criminal too. The twins pleaded that he only stole to help his hungry orphans, but they didn't listen, just like before. Leo still smiled and knew there was someone that they wouldn't be upset with: Jack Atlas.

"Didn't he fall off the face of the earth?" Leo's father asked as it was a week before Jack had announced his comeback. "Yeah, but he's making a comeback," Leo said, but his father was not convinced and shook his head. Leo sat down and the twins looked at one another. They mentally agreed that they weren't going to go any farther about who their friends were. They ate in silence for the rest of the meal and the twins went back to their room once they were done.

Later, once the twins were in bed, their parents talked to one another at the dinner table. It was cleared off and cleaned off. Their father sat and drank some decaf coffee.

"Can you believe the friends they made?" their mother asked. "I know," her husband replied, "We should have never left the them there. These people were a bad influence on them and were probably the reason for their interests. Leo's into Turbo Dueling, which is very hard to get into, is very dangerous, and it takes a long time to make good money in it."

"I know," his wife replied as she looked into her laptop, "Luna's into short shorts and I can't believe my little Luna could ever be like that. What if she become a slut or worse?" Her husband put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll make sure that doesn't happen." His wife nodded and they looked at this screen. "I found a picture of this Akiza girl and I think this is it." They found a picture of Akiza at the Fortune Cup. "Look at how big her chest is!" she noted at they zoomed in. Unknown to both of them was that Akiza's chest had gotten even larger since then and it was _still _getting bigger. "I've never seen someone with a chest that large!" the gentleman noted and his wife nodded. "She probably got breasts implants," Leo and Luna's father added. Again, unknown to both of them was that was not true and Akiza's chest was 100% natural. "What if she convinced Luna to get a butt implant?" his wife said in fear, "Short shorts emphasize a woman's groin and legs, but especially the butt!" Her husband shook his head and sighed. "Let me see this." He went back a few pages and then looked up Yusei. He found a picture from the same Fortune Cup match with Akiza. "To think that the first friend they think of is a criminal," he spoke in a disappointed tone. "What if Leo turns into a criminal?" the older woman asked. The man she was married to looked at the screen.

"We've got to keep them here _away _from these people," he said firmly.

The next morning, the twins got up and were still not use to being several hours ahead. They went to the breakfast table and Leo spotted the laptop. "Can I use this?" he asked and his parents said it was okay. They then told him the password. Their parents had forgotten to close out of the window with the picture of Yusei in it and Leo was surprised to see it when he woke the computer up. "Were you guys looking at our friends last night?" Leo asked and Luna got up to see the photo as well.

"Well...yes," their dad responded. "You still think they're bad people!" Leo responded quickly. "Yeah! You people are stuck in the old days," Luna responded, "New Domino City has changed since you guys were last there! People there are all treated equally and all of the laws that separated people are gone! All of the criminals, that were in the Facility for those laws, were released and their records were wiped clean! Their markers no longer track them too!" Leo nodded. "Luna's right! Many of them are really good people, but you two can't see that! You just don't want to accept them!" Their parents were surprised by their outrage and their father walked up to them.

"We're not judging them," he said softly, "We're just concerned about you two." Leo folded his arms in disgust. His father, on the other hand, tried to smile and ruffled Leo's hair. Leo didn't smile, laugh, or do anything. He kept his arms crossed and was still upset. "Actually Leo. There's someplace I wanted to take you today." Leo looked surprised as he wondered where it was.

Later, Leo found himself walking down a long hallway. His dad decided to show him around one of his giant office buildings. It was obvious that he wanted Leo to follow his footsteps, but like Yusei, Leo didn't want to follow his father. He wanted to make his own choice in what he did for a living. "And this is the lunchroom," Leo's father said with a chuckle. Leo yawned. Even the lunchroom was boring to him. 'I wonder what Luna is doing right now?' Leo wondered.

Across town, Luna was sitting with her mother and some girlfriends as they were having tea. Luna didn't really care for tea and she tried to use as much sugar as humanly bearable to make up the difference. Her mother made her wear a dress that she had bought the day before, which was pink and wasn't so loose around her legs. As the women laughed, Luna sat there bored and uninterested in what they were talking about. Her mother turned to her. "See isn't this wonderful?" her mother asked. Luna just shrugged. "Oh yeah. It's fun," she said with sarcasm. Luna wasn't interested interested in having tea or chit chatting with older people. She wanted to go back home and hang out with all her old friends.

That night, Leo's father made him watch the big soccer match up that they had talked about at the sports shop. Leo was bored out of his mind. Turbo Duels were fast, exciting, and on the edge of your seat fun. One minute, Yusei could be down a bunch of life points, but after just a single draw, he could pull out the match. Soccer...didn't have much of the same quality. Leo did admit that, once the team got deep into the other team's end, it did get a little exciting, but many times something would happen to stop them from scoring. As the match went on, Leo slumped over in his seat more and more. He looked over and saw Luna having to hold yarn, while her mother started sewing something. The look on her face was just as bored as he was. The two of them nodded, almost as if they could read their thoughts. 'Are you bored?' Leo mentally asked. 'Oh yeah,' Luna answered.

Later that night, much like the night before, the twins' parents talked about their children and how they didn't share the same values or goals as they did. "What are we going to do?" their mother asked. Her husband looked firmly at the table. "I'll see what I can do."

As the days wore on, the twins noticed that their parents didn't seemed to get as involved with their interests or likes or dislikes as they did before. One day, Leo played a Turbo Dueling video game and Luna had worn a pair of short shorts. Their father didn't talk to Leo about it and their mother didn't say a word about Luna's attire. A few days later, both of the twins got up, and didn't hear any noise coming from the kitchen, as usual. "Mom? Dad?" Leo asked. Luna was instantly worried and Leo put a hand on his sister. "Don't worry Luna," he said as they looked around the living room. It was then, that they saw some papers on the kitchen table. They went up to it and saw that there was a legal paper with a stamp on it as well as a letter. Leo picked up the letter as Luna picked up the legal sheet.

"Dear Leo and Luna, We are going to go on another long business trip." Leo closed his eyes in anger. He started to crinkle the edges of the paper as well. "Leo! We need that letter to hear what this is all about," Luna reminded him, "Keep reading!" Leo nodded and continued.

"We decided that the people you grew up with were a bad influence on you and we are not in agreement with the choices that both themselves and you have made. So, we have legally signed a wavier that will keep you here, in London, in the hopes of you finding better influences." Leo instantly looked at the paper Luna had. "What!" he screamed and they looked at it. Sure enough, it was a paper describing the apartment rental contract. They saw a box that said "Number of people living here" and a number 2 in the box next to it. In the box below, it wanted the names of the occupants of the apartment, and their names were in it.

"We have made it so that, until you legally turn 18, you will have to live here in London. We feel that leaving you in New Domino was a bad decision and hopefully you can both come to the understand that there are better paths for you to take. We're sure that once you get to know the town and country, it will show the true values that your mother and father value. Hanging out with criminals and violent people is a path that we strongly suggest you do not take. We are both doing this, because we love you and only want what's best for you. You will still have the same financial privileges as before and we hope that you will enjoy your stay here.

Love, Your Mother and Father."

Leo instantly tore the paper in half and Luna was surprised at just how angry he was. They thought they were hanging out with violent and criminal people? None of their friends were classified as a criminals and (although Jack was more of fighting type) the rest of their friends used violence as a last resort. Their parents never listened to them! "They...they just want us to be like them! Old fashioned high class rich people that do not care about anyone, but themselves!" he shouted, "I knew it! When Dad took me to his office, it was clear that he wanted me to grow up just like him: soccer, the office, everything!" Luna nodded. "I feel the same way Leo! Mom wanted me to wear the clothes that she liked, the tea party with her friends was all gossip, and then she made me sit with her sewing." Leo and Luna both looked at one another and Leo then turned his attention to the torn up piece of paper.

"They claimed that it was society's fault or that it was New Domino City's fault! No! You wanna know why we're making the decisions that we're making? It's because we leaned and grew up without them! If they wanted us to be just like them, they could have stayed with us and taught us whatever it is that they want us to like! Instead, they decided to be lazy parents and leave us on our own! I don't care what they say! I'm still going to try to become a Turbo Duelist! With or without their support!" Luna nodded. "And I can wear whatever I want, whether they agree with it or not!" Leo and Luna smiled at one another as Leo went to the recycle bin.

"Here's what I think of our parents!" and he slammed his foot into the recycling.

**A/N: Sorry for the over dramatic ending.  
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**Since I'm sure everyone's wondering why I have Luna obsessed with short short**s,** I put a explanation in my profile (links wouldn't work here).**

**So, I apologize for that, being late, the whole Jack situation, two chapter split, and anything else that I might have forgotten. I hope you enjoyed the Chapter and continue reading the story!  
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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7!**

**This Chapter focuses on the twins, as well as Yusei and Akiza (which will set up the next Chapter).**

**I also want to note that this was one of the Chapters I was worried about with rating the story. There's no sex or anything like that, but I still hope you're not upset.  
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Although the twins were now without their parents and stuck in London, they were happy. Their parents were gone, hopefully forever, and they could go back to being themselves again. The only problem was they would be starting school soon and be attending one that they never have been to before. Although there was a Duel Academy back home, there were also multiple schools all around the world. London luckily had one and so at least the uniforms would be the same.

After a couple of days, the twins got their schedules. Since they were old enough now, they would have multiple classes and teachers, as opposed to only one. They saw that, while they did not have all of their classes together, many of them were together including gym and math.

"Wow! At least we'll get to be together for some of our classes," Leo said excitedly as they sat on the couch looking over them, "Hey! We even got the same lunch!" He looked even closer at it. "Aww! It's the last one!" Luna rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't worry Leo! They just want to be sure that you'll have a big enough appetite." They both laughed.

A few days later, it was finally time to go to school. Since both of their bodies had been changing over the summer, they had to get bigger uniforms. However, as Luna got dressed, she couldn't help, but notice that her left breast was rubbing up against her uniform. She sighed as she got ready. 'Maybe it'll just go away on it's own,' Luna thought. Leo and herself ate a larger breakfast than they usually did for school, due to the late lunch, and they then started walking to school.

It was still decently warm outside so the twins did not have to wear a light jacket. However, they knew that it wouldn't be long before they would start having to bringing one along. As Luna walked, she still felt her left breast rubbing up against her clothes. She put her hand under her shirt, trying to re-adjust it. "Hey Luna, is something wrong?" Leo asked. Luna shook her head. "No. It's nothing," she replied as she took her hand out from her shirt.

As they walked, Luna put her hands on her backpack straps. It wasn't that she didn't want to tel Leo about her problem, it just that he wouldn't understand. Luna was developing her female body and a guy like Leo, as great of a brother that he is, would not understand. Sure, they had been taught sex ed last year and would probably be taught it once again this year, but Luna figured that Leo probably did not know too much about the female body.

As they got to the entrance, it was similar to how the one across the pond was. A teacher and, most likely the principal, were there to greet the students. The principal had a curly brown mustache, very short brown curly hair, small round glasses, and was rather jolly. Leo and Luna went up to shake his hand. "Why hello!" the man said in a low voice, "I've never seen you two here before." The twins nodded. "Yep. I'm Luna and this is Leo. We moved here from the Duel Academy in New Domino City." The principal adjusted his glasses. "Aww yes. New Domino City. Quite a fine institution. Well, it's great to have you here and we hope this one will be as good as the one over there." The twins thanked him and went inside.

Duel Academy's, as were the norm, had nice large hallways and were rather big in size. The twins went to the "junior high" section and found that the lockers were in alphabetical order. "Sweet!" Leo said as he went to his locker, "We can meet here after every class!" Luna opened her locker and started putting things in. "I don't know about that," she replied skeptically, "I just wanna make sure that I get to class on time, so I'm going to leave some class stuff inside my backpack." Leo frowned. "But Luna! I wanna make sure that you're okay!" Luna smiled. "That's wonderful Leo, but we have our phones if there is an emergency. Besides, we have some classes together. Remember?" Leo nodded. "That's right and speaking of which, we probably should head to homeroom." Luna nodded and they headed out. Just like the lockers, the homerooms were assigned alphabetically. They went inside to their assigned and sat down on the long, large tables.

"Well somethings never change," Leo said as the tables were almost identical to the ones back home. The twins sat down and listened to school announcements as well as getting some papers that they had to get signed. "Leo, who will sign these papers for us?" Luna asked. Leo smiled. "We can ask the apartment people," he replied, "They did that for us in New Domino City." Luna nodded and they quickly put their papers away.

Once the bell rang, they all headed for their different classes. "See you 2nd period Luna!" Leo called as he ran to his next class. Luna waved and headed off in the opposite direction. This was going to be the first time Leo and her had a different class. She was a bit nervous, but she was mostly excited. As Luna walked, she could still feel her clothes rubbing up against her left breast. She sighed and quickly smiled at the teacher, as she was only a short ways from her next class.

After first period, Luna had math with Leo for second period. "So how was European Geography?" Leo asked as they sat down in their math class. "It was fine," Luna replied, "It was different not having you there, but it was a new experience." Leo gave her a thumbs up and they both turned their attention to the teacher, as she began class.

The third period was Phy. Ed. Luckily, Luna and Leo overheard another student say that you were very likely to keep the same gym class for the whole year. Luna and Leo smiled, as that would assure them at least one class together. They each went to the separate changing rooms and took their gym clothes out their bags. Leo quickly changed into his shorts and white t-shirt. Luna on the other hand, took her time.

She looked down and noticed that a red mark had appeared on her left breast. She rubbed it and the feeling was defiantly familiar. She sighed as she put her shirt on. "Maybe I should get a bra," Luna said quietly. As two girls walked by, they overheard her talking to herself. "A bra?" the short black haired girl asked and Luna turned to them. The one next to her had medium length brown hair.

"If you really want to be popular and get a boyfriend, you _will not _wear a bra," the black haired girl continued. "I won't?" Luna asked. The brown haired girl nodded. "Trust us. The most popular boys love it when girls don't wear one. As soon as your chest starts bouncing, the guys fall head over heels for you. Everyone knows that." Luna looked around and sure enough, she didn't see any other girls wearing one. The girls talking weren't wearing one either. "If you want to impress a boy, you won't wear one." The girls then walked away.

Luna was confused. She wanted to be popular and get a boyfriend. However, one of Luna's best friends in the whole world, Akiza, _always _wore a bra. It didn't matter what she wore. Her normal attire, her school uniform, even under her Turbo Dueling suit, Akiza always had a nice big bra to cover her ginormous chest. Although Luna had never seen it or asked her about it, she knew that Akiza was very modest when it came to clothes and wearing a bra was part of it. 'Was Akiza wrong?' Luna wondered, 'Maybe I should go to gym and see what happens.'

After getting all set, Luna came out of the locker room and to the large gymnasium. After taking attendance, everyone bunched up on the side closest to Great Britain flag. They then started some basic drills, like push ups, jumping jacks, and other things. Luna watched as they soon were told to run in place. It was then that Luna understood what they girls from before meant.

They were standing next to a boy with straight brown hair. The girls held their heads up with pride as their chests started to bounce around. "Oh Kyle don't you love this?" the black haired girl from before asked. "Uh...yeah," Kyle replied as he looked from one girl to another. The girls with the most development in their chests stood by him and it was clear he was the most popular boy in the class.

"Aren't those girls acting weird?" Luna asked to Leo, who was running in place next to her. She waited for Leo to reply, but finally turned to him. He was looking down at the girls around Kyle. "Leo?" she asked louder to break him out of his trance. "Hmm? What?" Leo asked in surprise. "Aren't those girls acting kind of weird?" Leo looked over at the girls again. "Uh...yeah sure," he replied quickly. To be honest, Leo was enjoying what he was seeing. He didn't quite understand these feelings, but it felt good non the less and he wanted to feel this feeling even more.

Later, once the day was over, Luna really wanted to talk to Akiza. She already got her fill from the other girls, but at the same time still felt her left breast rubbing against her clothes. 'I maybe popular, but it will come with a price,' Luna thought. Leo and her walked home to their apartment and Luna quickly went to her laptop.

Over in Germany, Akiza had just gotten a snack from a snack machine and was munching on it as she surfed online. It was then, that a video message popped up and she clicked on. "Hey Luna," Akiza replied happily, "Long time no see."

"Long time no see to you too," Luna replied, "Listen, can talk to you about something?" Akiza smiled. "Sure thing Luna. What is it?" Luna then explained what happened at school and Akiza listened to Luna talking about her conflict. "And so...I was kind of hoping that I could come to you for advice. I mean...you're kind of a bra expert, if it's okay to call you that." Akiza laughed.

"It's perfectly okay to call me that Luna. I've dealt with wearing bras for a long time. So, in a way, I am kind of an expert." Luna smiled. "Okay. That's a relief. So, what should I do?" Akiza smiled.

"First of all, I think that your chest rubbing against your clothes is definitely your body starting to develop. I noticed you had grown when we had that party and so I'm sure that that's probably the cause of the rubbing. Second, I think that those girls are wrong. Not wearing a bra doesn't guarantee that a guy will like you and, if that's the only reason he likes you, then it's just not worth it. A guy should like you for you, both on the outside and inside. Third, I think wearing a bra would be a good idea. It could feel better for your breasts and I think you're at the right age for your first bra." Luna was still worried.

"Well, are you sure Akiza?" Akiza nodded. "I'm sure Luna, but it's your choice. You could not wear one, have your chest rub against your clothes, and hope to land a guy or you could wear one, not have your chest rub against your clothes, and get a guy who cares about you besides your looks." Luna smiled. "I kind of like the second idea." Akiza nodded. "Good choice."

"But what should I look for for wearing a bra?" Luna asked. Akiza put her hand to her chin. "Well...find one that feels comfortable. Don't worry about making it really tight or something like that. It generally should give your chest some room to breath. Heck, you could wear a training bra as well."

"What about color?" Luna asked. Akiza smiled. "That's entirely up to you. You can pick a color that is different, your favorite, or even a secret favorite color." Luna looked curiously at her. "Secret favorite color? What's that?" Akiza smiled. "Well, let me show you." Akiza and Luna were by themselves, so Akiza knew what she was going to do was okay. Akiza took off her red t-shirt to show off what was underneath. Luna gasped once she did.

Akiza had on a large, green colored bra. "Wow Akiza! That bra is huge! You easily make a mask with just one cup!" Akiza chuckled. "I know," she replied, "My cups are huge." However, Luna had also taken note of the color. "So, green is your secret favorite color?" Akiza nodded. "Everyone knows I love roses and they think that red's my only favorite color. But roses have _green stems _and they grow in _green bushes. _So, every one of my bras are green. It's kind of fun little secret that people don't really know about me." Luna smiled. "So, I could pick a favorite color of mine too?" Akiza shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat," Akiza replied. Luna smiled. "I know what I'll be doing tonight. Would it be okay if I call you later on?" Akiza nodded. "Sure thing Luna. I can stay up late since I don't have school tomorrow."

"Okay. See you later Akiza," Luna called into her computer. "See you later," Akiza replied and she logged out. Luna, meanwhile, stayed logged on and went to see if Yusei was there. Sure enough, Yusei was online, looking at a recipe that he was going to print out. "Man that chicken looks good," he said to himself, before seeing that someone was trying to video call him. He clicked on it. "Hey Luna. Long time no see." Luna smiled.

"Wow! Akiza just told me the same thing." Yusei looked surprised. "She did? Did she talk about me?" Luna shook her head. "No. We talked about something else." Yusei looked curiously at the screen. "What was it?" Luna giggled. "It's a secret," she replied and Yusei slumped downward. 'It's probably something I'm not suppose to know about,' Yusei thought, 'Probably involving me.' He sat back up. "So, what's up?" he asked aloud.

"I just wanted to say that today was Leo and my first day at our new school. It was good and we were both hoping that you were doing well." Yusei smiled. "Well thanks Luna! Where's Leo right now?" Luna shrugged. "Probably in his room playing a video game." Yusei nodded. "Well, I'd like to talk some more, but I just got here and I usually walk around when I first get here. Thanks for talking to me Luna. I can't wait to hear from you soon." Luna nodded. "It was good talking to you too Yusei. See you later." They both said goodbye and logged off. Yusei printed his recipe and shut down his computer. As for Luna, she shut down too.

"Hey Leo! Can we make an early dinner? I've got to do something tonight!"

Later, Luna came home with a bag full of bras. "This is great Leo! I've got to go call Akiza!" She went to her laptop, as Leo yawned. "Man, I thought staying in the furniture store was good idea," Leo said, "But then I feel asleep on the couch and now I won't be able to sleep tonight." Leo sighed and went to his room, to do the rest of his homework.

Luna hopped onto her laptop and saw that Akiza was still online. She quickly clicked on her and her face appeared. "Hey Luna! You done shopping?" Luna nodded. "Yep!" she answered and started showing her green bras. After showing them, she had one left. "However, I got a 'secret favorite color' one too." Akiza smiled in surprise. "What is it?" Luna held it up and it was a dark red color. "I got this one in honor of you Akiza. I'm going to make sure I wear it when I'm at school, to remind me of what you said. I don't need to listen to those girls. I'll get a boyfriend at some point, but for right now, I should worry about what makes me happy and wearing a bra will do that." Akiza folded her arms. "Well I'm very honored," Akiza answered, "Good luck tomorrow at school." Luna nodded. "Thanks. Se you later Akiza." They both shut down their laptops for the night and Luna went to finish her homework.

The next day, Luna was at school and pulled up her shirt. She looked around at the other girls and felt a little nervous. She then looked down at the red color bra. So far, her chest wasn't rubbing against her shirt and Luna knew the sore would soon be gone. 'Just think about what Akiza told you,' Luna thought and a smiled grew on her face. Almost as if on cue, the girls from the day before came up to her. "So, you really went and got one of those?" the black haired girl asked. Luna looked over her shoulder at them. "Yes I did!" she replied with confidence. The girls smirked. "Good luck getting a boyfriend now," the brown haired one replied and the girls walked off. Luna looked down a little sad, until a blonde haired girl came up to her.

"You wear one too?" she asked and Luna looked up. "I do too." Luna looked confused at her, but saw the straps through her shirt. "How come I didn't see you yesterday?" Luna asked and the girl shrugged. "I hang towards the back, since I don't like those other girls." She then walked away. "See you later." Luna smiled and then saw a few other girls catch up to her. They too were wearing bras. 'Well, it's good to know I'm not the only one,' Luna thought.

After class got started, they had to do the same exercises as the day before. Sure enough, the popular girls were near Kyle. However, just before they started, Kyle quickly ran away to the other side of the group. "Take you places," the male teacher instructed them, leaving no time for the girls to follow Kyle. "And begin!" Everyone started and Luna noticed that Kyle was standing right next to her. "Hey! Don't you wanna hang around those other girls?" Luna asked. Kyle shrugged. "Nah. I thought I'd try a different area for a change." Luna looked around and bra wearing girls were all on this side of the group. "Oh, well I hope you enjoy here," she replied. Kyle then smiled at her and they both looked forward. When everyone began to run in place, Luna smiled as she felt her bra holding her chest comfortably in place. Luna closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the comfort and joy of wearing her first bra. After opening her eyes again, Luna noticed that Leo wasn't near her.

"Leo? Where are you?" Luna asked quietly to herself. She then looked over and saw that he was with the popular girls. Luna sighed as Leo looked around at the bouncing chests. 'Man! I'm loving this!' Leo thought as he looked around at the girls running in place near him.

Since Yusei and Akiza both had video talks with Luna, they both contemplated the idea of video chatting with each other. They were both nervous, but at the same time, really wanted to use it. It was a great feature and it would be nice to see and hear from the other again. For a week or so, they keep their contact to non-video communication and it was usually just checking in and making sure everything was okay. Finally, Akiza decided that she wanted to video chat with Yusei and brought it up as they talked back and forth.

"Hey! Did you ever think about video chatting?" Akiza asked. "I've thought about it," Yusei replied, "But I was curious if you wanted to do it."

"(laughs) It'd be fine with me Yusei. Since tomorrow's Saturday, would it be okay to call you tomorrow night for me, but afternoon for you?"

"Sure thing," Yusei answered, "I can't wait! 7 for you sound good?"

"(nods) Sounds good to me! See you then!"

As Yusei and Akiza logged off, they both felt rather nervous. It hadn't been too long to since they saw each other, but not recently either. However, both were curious if they would talk differently face to face, especially since it was a lot easier to talk without seeing someone's face. For each one of them, sleeping was not very easy.

'What if Germany has really changed her?' Yusei thought as he looked up at his Tops apartment ceiling, 'What if she suddenly treats me differently?'

_He imagines_

"So Akiza, I learned that New Domino City was hosting a World Championship for...

"Uh, you wanna talk about that silly old place?" Akiza asked, "Germany has much better and important things than that. Their sausages are much better than those crappy ones that you are forced to eat and the sauerkraut is much tastier too. No. New Domino City is not my cup of tea anymore. Maybe, instead of me having to go back to New Domino City, why don't you come here?"

"Well, that would be nice," Yusei replied, "But your family is here too. Plus, the twins are probably going to move back and they gave me this great apartment and..."

"Ugh! Yusei! Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was wrong in falling for you." Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza! I really really like you and I..."

"Forget it! I'm no longer talking to you Yusei! You can't appreciate the new me, so I can't appreciate you. Goodbye Yusei. Goodbye forever!" Yusei froze. "Akiza!" he screamed as she turned off the screen.

_End Imagination_

Yusei sat up and took a few deep breaths. He sighed. "I hope she isn't much different than before."

For Akiza, she was just nervous as to how Yusei would talk to her. 'Will he call me some sort of pet name?' Akiza wondered, 'Will he tell me that he loves me?' Akiza sighed. 'I don't know. This is Yusei we're talking about. He probably isn't going to say anything like that.' Akiza sighed once more and tried to get some sleep.

The next day, it was as if they both were being sped towards their meeting time. Once 7 PM quickly hit for Akiza, she started up her laptop. Yusei did the same back in New Domino City. They both looked and saw the other was online. Yusei went to click on it, but he froze in nervousness. Finally, he heard a voice over the other end. "Yusei, are you there?" Akiza asked. Yusei smiled and clicked on the button. "Akiza!" he answered, "You put your hair back in it's old place." Akiza gently touched it. "Do you like it? If not, I can put it back to it's other style." Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza. It's perfect just the way it is."

'Kind of like you,' Yusei thought, but he refrained from saying that. "Oh Yusei! I'm so happy you're not upset!" Akiza said in relief, "I was worried you'd be mad." Yusei smiled. "I can't be mad at you Akiza. You're a wonderful person and a wonderful friend." Akiza blushed. "Oh Yusei," she said softly and Yusei smiled as he saw her smile. Yusei then changed the subject.

"So, how is Germany?" Yusei asked, "Are you doing well in school?" Akiza bit her lip. "Well, I did only okay on my last test. I hope I'll be able to rebound." Yusei smiled. "Akiza. Don't give up! You can come back and get a good grade in the class. I know you can." Akiza blushed. "Thanks Yusei. So, how's work? Is everything okay?" Yusei shrugged. "Uuuuuuuuugh," he sighed unpleasantly. Akiza frowned. "Still not fun?" Yusei nodded. He didn't really tell his friends much about his job. As far as they knew, he didn't like it. However, he knew that there was more to the story.

"Anyways, are you enjoying the Tops?" Akiza asked. Yusei's face lit up. "Oh yeah!" he replied excitedly, "I love it! I have a pool, a hot tub, a great kitchen, comfy beds, it's great!" Akiza smiled. "I'm so happy for you Yusei. You deserve it." Yusei looked away bashfully. "Well...I can't take all the credit. You guys helped too." Akiza nodded. "That's true, but you still deserve nice things. Have you bought anything for yourself with your new home and job?" Yusei shook his head. "Nah. I just put my money in the bank and sav it." Akiza frowned. "Yusei. I'm all for saving, but you deserve to splurge on yourself. What about your duel runner?"

"It's going to be winter and too cold soon," Yusei answered, "So I really have no reason to buy anything. Plus, I'm not racing it or anything, so the parts on it are in good condition." Akiza sighed. She wanted Yusei to splurge on himself and he was making plenty of money to afford it. "What about clothes?" Yusei shrugged. "I've got enough clothes."

"Underwear?" Yusei's eyes went up. "Well...I did get a rip in one of them a few weeks ago." Akiza folded her arms. "You see. Go get some new underwear. Now boxers or briefs?" Yusei held his breath for a moment. He truly didn't want Akiza knowing what he wore. "I'll...get what I need," he replied as he scratched the back of his head. Akiza giggled. "So, do you think we could do this again?" Yusei nodded. "Sure thing. Monday good?" Akiza looked surprised. "Monday? Don't you have to work?" Yusei nodded. "Yeah, but it's okay. I don't have much work to do, so it's all right. I can call you when I get the chance." Akiza shrugged. "Okay..." They both sat there, not really sure how to end the conversation.

"Well...see ya," Akiza said. "See ya," Yusei repeated and they both logged off. They met up on Monday and Yusei's face was lighted with joy. It was nice to finally have something to do at work. Akiza still felt guilty talking to him, but kept reassuring her everything was okay. Their conversations, as with the first one, ended rather awkwardly. After a few more video chats, Yusei moved it to a private room. "In here," Yusei said as he looked around, "Is a soundproof room. No one can hear us, except for me and you." Akiza smiled and felt more at ease.

The weeks went by and Halloween came. Yusei gave out candy to the kids that visited and they were amazed that they got to live so close to him. Yusei was embarrassed by all the attention he got, but smiled and gave them their candy. A few weeks later, it was Thanksgiving and Akiza's parents were showing her video from the table. "Doesn't this look good?" her mom teased as she showed her the food. "Mom! You're making me hungry!" Her parents laughed. "Don't worry honey. We'll have this at Christmas too." Akiza smiled. "Thanks mom."

For Akiza, her finals were quickly upon her. After she finished her last test, she went outside the classroom. "Yes!" Akiza cheered, "Now I can go home!"

**A/N: Akiza's coming home for the holidays! How will Yusei react and will something happen before Christmas? Find out next time!**

**Thanks for your support!  
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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8!**

**Akiza's coming home! But will something else happen? **

**Also, just as a precaution, there's a make out scene in this Chapter.  
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"I'm coming home!" Akiza said cheerfully into a video screen. Yusei looked on from the private room at work. It was mostly gray walls with a huge TV and crystal clear picture. Yusei couldn't help, but smile. "I'm so happy for you Akiza. I can't wait to see you come home. What time's the flight suppose to arrive?" Akiza thought for a moment. "Well, I leave in a couple of days. The flight should come about 2 o'clock or so, so mid-afternoon I guess." Yusei nodded. "All right. I'll be sure to be there." Akiza and him said goodbye and Yusei walked out of the room.

"Hey Lazar," Yusei said as the short man walked by, "Listen, I won't be coming in on Thursday and Friday." Lazar nodded. "That's fine Yusei." He was carrying something in his hands. "Here Yusei. I've got some work for you to do." Yusei took a decently sized stack of paper and got right to work. It was a very easy assignment that he completed in about 20 minutes. However, even after he was done, he pretended that he was still working on it, as Lazar came into the room. "Good to see you got something to do," Lazar noted. Yusei nodded. "Oh yeah, this is great," Yusei lied, "I might have to do this all day." Lazar nodded and walked away. Yusei sighed as he set down one of the first papers that he completed quite a while ago. A kid could have done this work, but Yusei decided not to say anything.

Later that night, Yusei sighed as he sat down to dinner. Yusei had splurged a little bit and gotten a nice steak with a baked potato, corn, and a few other small sides. After he ate and did the dishes, he watched the 6 o'clock news and a game show afterwards. He then decided to look at what he could wear when he went to meet Akiza. He started looking through some long sleeved shirts, polos, and other shirts. Since it was already bitterly cold, Yusei decided he would have to wear something warm. At the same time, however, since they would be inside, he didn't want to wear something overly warm, such as a big fuzzy white sweatshirt. It was then, that he stumbled upon his old attire.

His blue blazer as well as his tight black and red shirt were on two hangers. He knew that his black pants were in the dresser nearby. As corny as it sounded, Yusei changed outfits and put his old clothes back on. To be honest, he missed his old attire. Yusei had filled out a little from his lanky build, but the black shirt still fit him. He went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. All he needed was the boots and he was ready to go. He smiled and then changed into his pajamas. He left the attire out, so he knew where it was when Akiza arrived.

The next morning, Yusei had forgotten the fact that it was the following day that Akiza came back. He had nearly put everything on, when he realized what day it was. "Oh crap," he said aloud to himself, "Now I gotta change into some other clothes." He quickly changed and headed off for work.

The following night, Yusei had a tough time going to sleep. He wasn't thinking about Akiza, work, or anything. He just couldn't sleep and it was bothering him. 'Ugh! How am I going to get through tomorrow?' he wondered as he laid in bed, desperate for some sleep.

The next morning, Yusei heard the alarm go off, but he quickly turned it off and continued sleeping. All he wanted to do was make up for the sleep he lost and he stayed in bed longer than he normally did. Finally, after falling asleep a couple more times, he got up, and got dressed into his old attire. However, he did not put on his usual brown gloves and decided to go without them. He made himself some breakfast and ate quietly. Once he put his cereal bowl in the sink, he brushed his teeth and used some mouthwash. When he was finished, he checked a clock by the stove. "10:30," he said aloud, "I've still got a few hours until I'll have to leave." A little while later, he heard a knock at the door. He went to answer it and was surprised at who was there.

"Martha," Yusei said aloud, "What are you doing here?" Martha smiled. "I came to pick you up and take you to the airport." Yusei was puzzled. "But why are you coming along? Wasn't it going to just be Akiza's parents and me?" Martha chuckled. "Yusei, Akiza's a very good friend of mine and I know she's a _very good __friend of you," _Martha said with a wink. Yusei bit his lip and stayed firm. However, a light pink color appeared on his face, letting Martha know that she was right. "But her flight's not going to come for a couple hours," Yusei remembered, "She told me it would be mid to late afternoon." Martha nodded. "Yes, but she found a earlier flight and decided to take it. Besides, she told her parents it would mean more time to spend at home."

Yusei was now worried. He had planned to do something just before he left for the airport. "Uh...be right back," Yusei said and he quickly turned around. He ran to his room and hopped on his laptop. "Come on! Come on!" Yusei said angerly to himself. He finally got online and he quickly started searching. Just as he found what he was looking for and was writing something down, Martha came to his bedroom door. "Yusei what are you.."

"Got it!" Yusei said aloud and he took out a notepad from a desk drawer. He wrote something down as his laptop shut down. "Here...meet me at this place," Yusei as he handed the note to Martha. He closed his laptop and ran off. "Yusei, why do you want to meet..." Martha started just as Yusei slammed the apartment door shut. "There?" Martha finished.

Downstairs, Akiza's parents waited in a long limousine, in their winter coats. It was a bright sunny day, that made it look warmer than it actually was. They saw Yusei run off down the street as he had just finished zipping up his winter coat. "Where is he going?" the gentleman asked. His wife shrugged and rolled down the window. "Yusei where are you going?" she yelled, but he was too far away to hear her. He continued running down the street and then took a left. It was about 10 minutes until Martha came out. "Martha," Ms. Izinski said, "We saw Yusei and he..." Martha put up her hand. "Don't worry," she replied. She rolled down the window to driver. "Here," she said aloud, "Go to this street." The driver nodded as everyone buckled up. He then headed down the street.

With Yusei, he was trying to catch his breath at a red light. He was leaned over, with his hands on his knees. "I should get on the treadmill a few more times a week," Yusei to himself. He looked up and saw "Walk" on the sign. He quickly checked the paper that he had in his pocket and started running again, using his long thin legs to move himself. After making it another couple of blocks, Yusei slowed down and started walking. He took out his wallet to make sure he had enough money. Yusei smiled as he took out a few dollar bills and then walked into a store.

Back in the limo, the car took a right and rode the curb, until it came to a stop. The door opened and Yusei got inside, holding a giant bouquet of red roses. Everyone smiled as he took a seat near the door. He leaned back, buckled up, and took a deep breath. "Yusei," Martha said aloud to him, "Are those for me?" Yusei looked at the flowers. "Um...well..." He leaned the flowers toward her, feeling guilty. Martha just laughed. "Don't worry Yusei. I was only kidding. I know who their for. You don't need to take everything so seriously." Yusei smiled as he took the flowers out of her face. 'I hope she likes them,' Yusei thought.

Later, they stood at the airport, waiting for Akiza. Martha held onto Yusei's coat, as he stood a good distance away from them. He looked deeply at the flowers he had bought for her. All he could think of was Akiza smiling at him as he handed over the flowers.

_Yusei imagines_

"Her you go Akiza," Yusei said confidently with a smile. Akiza cupped her hands by the right side of her face. She gasped and smiled at him. "Oh Yusei. They're lovely!" She takes the flowers and smells them. "You look really good holding them," Yusei replied, "They're the same color as your outfit." Akiza was wearing her old outfit as well. "Well, I wear this outfit especially for you Yusei." Yusei blushed. "Well you look very beautiful in it." Akiza blushed and shyly looked away. After a moment, she leaned forward and kissed Yusei on the cheek. Yusei looked flustered as he put his hand on the place where Akiza kissed him.

_End imagination_

Yusei smiled as he hoped her reaction would be something like that and hopefully he could act just as confidently and romantically. As he looked around some more, he soon saw a girl wearing a long pink and red shirt. He smiled when he saw her. It was Akiza and she was wearing the same outfit she wore the night before she left. With all the people around, Akiza didn't notice Yusei and instead focused on her parents and Martha. "Mom! Dad!" she cried as she pulled her luggage and herself up to them. She then gave them both big hugs.

"It's so nice to see you again sweetie," her mother replied as she held her hands, "How are you?" Akiza smiled. "Good. Little tired, but good." She looked towards her father. "Well I'm glad you're safe and sound," he replied. "Thanks Dad!" Akiza said as she gave him another hug. She then turned her attention to Martha. "Martha! I'm so glad to see you here!" The shared a hug. "Oh! You look so happy," Martha noted, "I hope school wasn't too tough on you." Akiza shrugged. "Well it was a little tough, but I managed to get through it." Martha smiled. "Well that's good." Akiza noticed the jacket around her arm. "Martha, who's jacket is that? It looks too small to be yours." Martha giggled. "Well...it's for someone you might know." Martha looked slightly in Yusei's direction, but let Akiza finish looking for her.

"Yusei!" Akiza cried as she ran towards him. Martha and her parents all faced the couple, yet kept their distance. Akiza ran up to Yusei, who was trying his best to hide the flowers behind his back. "Akiza!" he replied happily, but kept himself from moving closer to her. Akiza slowed down to a stop when she got within a couple feet of him. It was then that Yusei took the flowers out from behind his back. Akiza gasped slightly. "Oh! Yusei!" Akiza said softly, as she put her hand to her chest. Yusei beamed a confident smile. "Welcome home Akiza!" he said in a gentle, soft voice. He leaned the flowers towards her and Akiza looked at them for a brief moment, before accepting them.

"Oh Yusei," Akiza said as she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and inhaled their sweet scent. She opened her eyes as she exhaled and looked deeply at the flowers. "They're beautiful." Yusei suddenly spoke up. "Not as beautiful as you," he replied awkwardly. Akiza gasped and looked up at him. A blush went across her face as she smiled at him. Yusei smiled back, with a hint of a blush as well. It wasn't that Yusei didn't mean those words. He meant them with all his heart. He was just embarrassed that he accidentally blurted the thought out loud.

Akiza and Yusei continued to stare at each other. They knew that they wanted to push farther, but being in a public space was making it rather awkward. Akiza's father noticed this, as he finally stepped up to the two of them. "Okay you two. It's time to go." The young couple both looked at him. "He's right," Akiza's mother added, "We'd better get going." Martha handed Yusei his jacket as Akiza took her luggage from her mother. They all filed out of the airport and went inside a nice, warm limo. Akiza had her jacket inside her luggage, since the plane ride was cramped and stuffy. They all sat down and talked about what they were doing next.

"So, we're all headed to the Izinski's?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. "Actually, Akiza's parents and I have something we have to do," Martha noted, "So you go on without us." Akiza and Yusei were confused. "What is it?" Akiza asked, "Can you tell us?" Martha put a finger to her lips and shook her head. Yusei and Akiza both frowned and wondered what it was.

When they got to to the Izinski's house (more like a mansion), Yusei and Akiza both got out of the limo and into the cold winter air. "You'd better get inside," Martha scolded, "It's cold out here." Yusei and Akiza rolled their eyes. "We know," they replied and went inside, as the limo rode away.

As the limo went around the corner, all the adults inside were full of excitement. "Can you believe Yusei got Akiza flowers?" Ms. Izinski asked. Martha nodded and the two of them were like school girls going out with the most popular men in school. "Yusei's been shy about showing his emotions for a very long time, but he's so different with Akiza." The two women smiled and turned to the senator. "What do you think dear?" he wife asked. Mr. Izinski smiled. "I'm very proud of what Yusei's doing and I'm happy that we're giving them some time to catch up." He looked towards the house. 'I wonder what they're doing.'

Inside, Yusei took his blue coat off and hung it on a hanger. Akiza had her luggage and was holding onto to her flowers. She looked to her right and saw a table with a vase on it. "Oh this will be perfect," Akiza said excitedly, "Right by the door!" She put the flowers inside the vase and picked it up, to fill it with water. Yusei looked on from the entryway. "Now when people come inside, they will see the flowers and I can tell them that you gave them to me Yusei." Yusei managed a small smile. "Uh...yeah," he replied with a little bit of embarrassment. Once Akiza filled it up and put the food in, she went to her luggage, which was by a long staircase. "I'll be bringing this upstairs and change into something else," Akiza noted as she grabbed her luggage. "Okay. I'll be waiting here for you," Yusei answered and Akiza headed upstairs.

As Yusei waited, he couldn't help, but look around at the gorgeous house. To the left of the entryway was a large couch and a just as large TV. Yusei sighed as he looked at a clear glass cupboard, in the room with the vase and flowers, which had fancy looking plates and dishes inside. As much as Yusei enjoyed his apartment, he admitted to himself that he was jealous of all the wonderful things the Izinski's had. 'It sure would be nice to live in a home like this,' Yusei thought to himself.

"Yusei!" Akiza yelled from the top of the stairwell. He looked up and saw that Akiza had changed into her old attire as well. However, her long black gloves were not present, much like Yusei had left his gloves at home. As she made her way down, he saw the familiar black stockings, red and white outer shirt, and dark maroon shirt which covered her chest. As much as Yusei didn't want to say it, Akiza's chest looked bigger than before, despite the fact that it was modestly covered like usual. Akiza walked up to him and had a big smile on her face.

"I thought that if you had changed into your old attire, why can't I?" Yusei smiled. "You look great," Yusei noted, not sure what else to say. Akiza tilted her head."Was there any other reason that you wore your outfit again? It's been a while since I saw you in it." Yusei smiled and put both hands on her shoulders. "Well...actually...there is." Akiza's eyes grew in wonder, as Yusei looked around. "There's no one else here is there?" Akiza shook her head. "Good, because I want this to be just between the two of us." Akiza felt excitement grow in her chest, as she listened to what Yusei had to say.

"Akiza, I wore this outfit, not just because I haven't worn it in a while. I wore it...because I wanted you to know that...like my outfit...my feelings for you haven't changed." He put his arms around her waist. "Remember the night before you left?" Akiza nodded. How could she have forgotten? "Well...my feelings for you are the same as that night. In fact, I think they've even grown since then! I mean talking with you while you were away made me so happy! Sure, they were mostly us checking in with each other. But I only did that, because I care about you and because of my feelings for you." Akiza blushed and put her arms around his shoulders.

"I feel the same way Yusei! My feelings for you haven't changed and...just like you, my feelings for you have grown since then. It's been so nice talking back and forth with you. I enjoy getting to talk with such a good friend." Yusei smiled back at her. "I know what you mean," he replied, "You're a good friend too."

Akiza started leaning forward and Yusei did as well. Akiza gasped without opening her mouth as she closed her eyes. Her hands moved to Yusei's neck, but she didn't have to force him to move his head. Yusei had already closed his eyes and started leaning downward, to meet her as she leaned upwards. Their lips met and, unlike the last time, their lips started to move around. Yusei took a few steps back and leaned against the wall, that was to the left of the staircase. Their kissing continued as they each started to moan and grunt, responded to each other's passionate kiss. As they continued, Yusei suddenly felt a bump underneath his lip. They suddenly stopped kissing and they each gasped at each other in shock. Akiza looked down in shame.

"Yusei. I'm so sorry. I don't know what got into me." She looked slightly to her left, away from Yusei. "If you're mad at me, I'll understand." Yusei frowned as he put his bare, glove less right hand on her left cheek. "Akiza," Yusei spoke softly, as he gently leaned her back to the right. She looked up at him and they locked eyes. "I'm not mad. In fact, I'm happy that you asked me with your tongue. I'm sure many other couples would have just tried to shove it in, without thinking of the other person. But you took the time to bump me and ask for my permission." A slight smile grew on Akiza's lips.

"I don't mind Akiza. I felt the same way as you did. So, it's okay. I would love it if we continued." Akiza's eyes softened. "Oh Yusei," she said softly as she leaned forward and they quickly closed their eyes again. After a few moments of getting back in the mood, Akiza bumped below Yusei's lower lip. He opened his mouth and Akiza happily came inside. As she explored his mouth, she couldn't help, but notice just how he tasted. 'He's so sweet,' Akiza thought, 'Just like him.'

After she was done exploring, she pulled out her tongue. After a few moments of kissing regularly, Yusei bumped her lower lip and she opened her mouth, just as he had done. As he got to taste her, he couldn't help, but compliment on her sweet taste. 'She tastes wonderful, just like her.' Once Yusei was done, he retracted his tongue and they had a few more moments of regular, passionate kisses. Once that was over, they both leaned back and smiled at one another. They then leaned in together, as Yusei continued leaning against the wall.

Their first make out session.

After a few moments of enjoying the moment, they both leaned back again, looking into each other's eyes. "So, what should we do now?" Yusei asked. Akiza looked around the corner and saw the living room. "Wanna watch TV?" she asked as they still had their arms around each other. "Sure," Yusei replied and they let go of one another.

Once they made it over to the TV, Yusei sat to Akiza's left. However, they both refrained from putting their arms around each other or something similar. "What do you wanna watch?" Akiza asked. "It's up to you," Yusei responded and he handed her the remote. "You sure?" Yusei nodded. "Pick out anything you want Akiza." Akiza faced the TV and got a sly smile on her face. _'Anything?' Akiza thought slyly. _She clicked through the channels, before stopping on a celebrity gossip show. Akiza never really watched any of these shows and neither did Yusei. However, she figured she could see just how long Yusei could last through one of them.

"Oh my God!" the blonde on the TV said as she sat in a red chair, "Have you seen Daniel Check? I'm telling you he's one guy you want to _check _out." They then showed Daniel only wearing a pair of swim trunks as he walked on a beach. He had toned abs, large arm muscles, and just about anything else a girl wanted in a attractive guy. Akiza didn't pay attention to the story, as she leaned slightly on Yusei.

"Oh Yusei," Akiza said kiddingly, "Isn't he dreamy?" Yusei looked at him for a moment and then frowned. His eyes narrowed as well as Yusei was very upset. He just made out with Akiza and now this guy's causing her to drool all over him? Yusei didn't like that and he didn't like how he was taking away his girl. 'We'll see about that!' Yusei thought as he turned to Akiza. "So, this guy thinks he's better doesn't he?" Yusei asked as he stood up. Akiza was concerned by Yusei's tone of voice. She wanted to speak up, but Yusei was on a mission.

He quickly took off his blue blazer and black and red shirt. He tossed them both to the ground. Akiza blushed as Yusei was standing in front of her shirtless. As Akiza scanned him, he wasn't unattractive, but at the same time, there was nothing that stood out about him. He had a lean waist and lean arms, but nothing was muscular at all. He was just...average. As Akiza studied him, the show continued to show a photo of the celebrity, staring at a camera. He had his arms folded, trying to look even more muscular. Yusei turned to the TV and noticed this. "Oh," Yusei said in a gasp and quickly folded his arms, trying to look more muscular. He looked back at Akiza. "So, who's more attractive now?" Yusei asked.

Akiza put her hand over her mouth for a brief moment, trying to hide her giggle. Yusei folding his arms did not make him look more muscular, as he still looked like the same lean, average looking guy. The celebrity was in another zip code compared to Yusei. Akiza quickly took her hand off from over her mouth and tried to look a little more serious. "Well...um..." she said hesitantly, trying not to admit what was clearly obvious.

Just then, the front door opened and Akiza's parents and Martha filed in. Akiza and Yusei gasped as they looked at one another. Yusei's clothes were on the ground and it was too late for him to put them back on. Instead, all he could do, was put his hands over his chest in embarrassment. As the adults came inside, they all saw Yusei with his shirt off. "Yusei, what are you doing?" Martha asked. Mr. Izinski frowned. "You were trying to make love to my daughter! Weren't you?" he said in a very upset tone, as he ran over to him. Akiza quickly stood up and the two older women rushed over as well.

"No Dad!" Akiza quickly replied, "There was a guy on TV without a shirt on and Yusei was jealous of him." As if luck had came back to them, the TV showed one last shot of the celebrity with his shirt off. The three older adults looked at the TV and back at Yusei. "So, you were jealous?" Yusei looked down in shame. "I was...Mr. Izinski. Akiza said how dreamy he was and that made me upset. I was jealous, because he was more attractive and muscular than me. I worried that Akiza would leave me for a guy like him." Akiza frowned and put a hand on his bare shoulder.

"Yusei, I was only kidding," Akiza said softly, "I didn't really mean it. I was just joking. I know you don't watch celebrity shows. So, when you said that I could watch _anything, _I wanted to see just how long you could last through one. It's not your fault that you got upset, it should be my fault." Yusei looked sadly at her. "It's okay Akiza. It's not your fault. I just overreacted, that's all." Mr. Izinski was still concerned. "Still, how do I know this wouldn't have lead to love making?" Martha weaved her way past the senator and his wife. She pulled on Yusei's eat and asked, "Yusei, were you going to make love to Akiza?" Yusei grunted in pain, but spoke up. "No Martha. I'm waiting until marriage, just like you taught me." Martha smiled and let go of his ear. She turned to Akiza's parents and folded her arms.

"Well, I believe him," Martha replied, "I did teach him that and I also know that Yusei tends to take things too seriously. So, I think, when Akiza said that young man was attractive, Yusei was worried that he would lose her, and thus he took his shirt off, trying to impress her." Yusei and Akiza both shyly nodded. "That's exactly what happened," Akiza answered. "Yeah. She's right," Yusei added. The senator's upset face soften. "Well..okay. I'll let this go, but Yusei..." Yusei's eyebrows went up.

"Please put on a shirt." They all managed a laugh as Yusei put his black and red shirt on to cover his lean body. He added his blue blazer as well. Martha then headed for a chair near the TV. "Now, I think we need to do the obvious thing, and start asking Akiza about her trip," Martha said aloud. Yusei sat down, now to Akiza's right. Akiza shut off the TV. Mr. Izinski took a seat in a chart to Martha's left and Ms. Izinski took a seat in a chair to her right. "So, how was it?" Martha asked. Akiza's face lit up and she started talking.

"Well, I was really nervous at first," Akiza started, "I was worried about..." As Akiza continued to talk about her trip, everyone else chimed in, except for Yusei. He was still feeling guilty about what had happened earlier. However, after thinking about it for a few minutes, his attention turned to something else, as he was looking down as Akiza talked.

Her hand.

Yusei knew Akiza didn't have her long black gloves on, which left her delicate hand bare. Much like Yusei, she had a thin hand and long fingers. As Yusei continued to look at her right hand, which rested on the couch, he started to feel an urge. No! A _need_ to hold her hand. They had held hands before they left and Yusei remembered how special it was. He couldn't help, but want to hold her hand again and remind Akiza that he was there with her. It would also show Martha that he was opening up to her and showing the affectionate side of him. After all, holding hands was one of the most basic romantic displays of affection you could show.

Yusei felt his left slowly moving towards her hand, he needed to touch that delicate hand once more. However, he had only started, when he looked up and saw Mr. Izinski. He wasn't looking at him, as he was deep into the conversation, along with everyone else. Yusei remembered what had happened just a short while ago and he didn't want a repeat of it either. Yusei sighed quietly and put his hand back in his lap, on his thigh, and near his groin. As much as Yusei wanted to hold her hand, he knew that it wasn't worth the risk. Yusei sighed again and tried to get back into the conversation.

After a few hours or so of talking, everyone was smiling. Mr. and Ms. Izinski had offered drinks and everyone took a glass of water. They also snacked on a few things Ms. Izinski had made the day before. They all listened as the Izinski's big grandfather clock struck 5. "Well, Yusei and I better be heading off," Martha said aloud, "It's almost dinner time." Yusei nodded and everyone stood up. Martha and Yusei went to the doorway and everyone started saying goodbye. Martha had an easy time saying goodbye to everyone, but Yusei was a little nervous about saying goodbye to Akiza's parents. However, they both gave him a bright smile and a wave. Soon, the only people not to say goodbye was Yusei and Akiza.

"We'll give you your space," Martha said aloud as the three older adults went back into the living room. Yusei and Akiza then turned to one another, as the three parents tried to act as though they were talking, but they were really listening in.

"Akiza, it was so nice of you to come home," Yusei started, "I hope you had fun." Akiza nodded. "I did Yusei. It was great getting to see my parents again, along with Martha and yourself. I hope we can see each other again." Yusei smiled. "Of course we can Akiza. I'm always available."

"In fact," Yusei continued, "I was wondering if you were doing anything next Friday night." All of the parents stopped talking to hear what was going on. Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei, I don't have any plans. Did you want to do something with me?" Yusei nodded. "I was wondering if you'd like to out with me. Just the two of us." Akiza and Yusei stared into each other's eyes, with big smiles on their faces. "Sure thing Yusei. That sounds great." Yusei's face beamed with confidence. "I'll talk to you beforehand, but does 7 sound good?" Akiza nodded slightly. "Sounds good to me." Yusei nodded once last time. "Okay. So, I'll see you later."

"See you later," Akiza replied and the parents quickly surrounded their child. Yusei quickly grabbed his jacket as Martha and he headed out into the pitch black night. Akiza's parents huddled by Akiza and were full of joy. "Oh Akiza! Your first date!" her mother said as Akiza smiled at her parents. Outside...

"Oh Yusei. You'll get to go on your first date!" Martha said excitedly, as she leaned on Yusei, who gave her a confident grin.

**A/N: So, Yusei and Akiza scheduled their first date. Hope you're excited!****  
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**Sorry about the long wait!  
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**If you can, please leave a review, to tell me what you think.  
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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9!  
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**Here's Akiza and Yusei's first date!  
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The following day, Yusei had asked off and he got to wake up when he felt like it. After making breakfast, he decided that he would call Akiza, to figure out the details for their date. It was now a week away and Yusei wanted to make sure they knew what was coming. As he called, he heard the phone ring and ring, but no one answered. It was then that he heard a voice. "You have reached the Izinski's," Mr. Izinski said, "Please leave a message..." Yusei hung up. He decided that Akiza was probably out spending time with her parents and he would try to call later. He looked outside and it was lightly snowing. As he looked out the large windows, he also saw his hot tub was there as well. Yusei hadn't really used it and he had obviously never used it during the winter. "Maybe I'll try it out," Yusei said aloud as he headed for his room.

Although Yusei could have changed into his swim trunks anywhere he wanted, he still headed for the privacy of the bathroom. As he took his shirt off, he couldn't help, but be reminded of what happened the day before. Even though Yusei now knew that Akiza was only kidding, he still remembered her words.

"Oh Yusei, isn't he dreamy?"

Yusei's face quickly turned upset, even now. Yusei hated the thought of another man taking away Akiza. He wanted to make sure that she was safe and happy, especially considering her past. As Yusei finished taking off his upper body clothes, he put his hands on his hips. He studied his lean waist and arms and, despite not having muscle, he was satisfied with how he looked. "You know, I look pretty good," Yusei said positively, "And you know what? If I'm happy, than that's all that matters." He then changed into his black swim trunks and grabbed a big fluffy towel from the bathroom closet. He then took his things outside.

As Yusei opened the door, his body instantly filled up with goosebumps. His teeth quickly started to chatter, as he walked towards the hot tub. "Almost there. Almost there," he said through his chattering teeth. He had his arms folded, as he was trying to stay as warm as possible. Once he got there, he set his towel down onto the ground and quickly went over to a small gray box. He turned the hot tub on and made sure it was very bubbly. The hot tub quickly started and Yusei went up the step. He slowly got his hairy legs into the water and went to the closest corner. Yusei then decided to slowly sit down.

"Ehck!" Yusei groaned as he felt his groin going into the hot water. Once he got his "special area" in, he was able to relax and sit right down. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Ahh! This is nice," Yusei said aloud. He then looked out, on a great view that looked over New Domino City. Yusei was surprised that the bitterly cold weather didn't affect how the hot tub worked. As he relaxed some more, he looked across the tub, at another seat. He started to wonder what it would be like if Akiza was here. He'd have someone to talk to and laugh with. "Man I wish Akiza was here," Yusei said to himself.

Across town, Akiza was riding along with her parents as they were going to shop for a Christmas tree. Akiza said that she felt guilty that they had waited until well after Thanksgiving for one, but they insisted that they wanted to do it with her present. Plus, it was something that they could together as a family. They drove just a short ways out of town, to a large Christmas tree farm. It was a little on the spendy side, but they would plant another tree in place of everyone they cut down. So, the little extra money was worth it.

After they got out, the snow had just started falling. "Isn't this perfect?" Akiza's mother asked, "Snowing and looking for a Christmas tree." The other two nodded and they started searching for a tree. As  
>Akiza walked around, she tried to imagine how each one she liked would look in their house. The living room they were in the day before would have it, as it would shine in the window. Still, as Akiza thought about it, she remembered the day before, with the incident with Yusei.<p>

"So, he thinks he's better than me doesn't he?"

Akiza frowned. She must have made Yusei feel really insecure. After all, even though she was kidding, she started to worry that Yusei might start to change who he was. To her, he was perfect just the way he was. She decided that, during their date, she would talk to him about it. As her parents found a tree they liked, Akiza nodded and said that it would be good. As they started loading and getting the tree ready, Akiza thought about all the happiness and joy they were having. She knew that her parents would quickly start making cookies and decorating the tree. She wished that she could share this happiness with Yusei. "Man, I wish Yusei were here," Akiza said quietly as they rode home.

The next day, Yusei got up and decided to call Akiza after lunch. Her parents were decorating the tree and baking cookies, as Christmas music played softly in the background. "I'll get it!" Akiza called as she ran to the phone and picked it up. She smiled, as she knew who it was. "Hey Yusei."

"Hey Akiza," Yusei replied, "So, do you have any idea of where you wanna go for dinner?" Akiza shook her head. "Nope. You?" Yusei shrugged. "Not a clue. Is there anything that _you _are really hungry for?" Akiza frowned. "But Yusei, what about what you want? You have a say in this too." Yusei chuckled. "It's okay Akiza. I was the one who asked you out, so I wanna make sure that you get to pick the place." Akiza smiled. "That's so nice of you Yusei. Um..." She thought for a moment. "What about that nice Italian place that is known for it's Spaghetti?"

"The Spaghetti Maker?" Yusei asked, "Mmm. That does sound good. Is that the place you wanna go?" Akiza nodded. "That sounds great Yusei. What should I wear?" Yusei bit his lip. He didn't want to force Akiza to get too dressed up, but at the same time, he didn't want it to be just their regular attire. "We could go semi-casual. Not too fancy, but not too original."

"Sounds good to me. So, should I come over to your house at 7?" Akiza asked. "Nope. I want to make sure you have plenty of time to get ready. I'll come by your place." Akiza smiled at Yusei's thoughtfulness. "Thanks Yusei. Do you wanna meet up before Friday night? Should I come over to your work?" Yusei froze. "No. No. That's okay. I want it to be special, so we can call and talk to each other. But I'd like it if we held off meeting in person until Friday." Akiza's face turned sad. A week without Yusei felt like forever, but, if she could at least talk and video chat with him, that would be okay too. "Great. So I'll talk to you later," Akiza replied, "Okay. Bye." Akiza hung the phone up and smelt something good coming from the kitchen.

"Akiza! Do you wanna have some Christmas cookies?" Akiza quickly got up. "Coming Mom!"

Finally, it was Friday night. Yusei and Akiza talked briefly a couple of times. It was hard for them not to talk about the date, but they managed to quickly scoot around it if it got brought up. Yusei was getting ready at his apartment, with Martha there to help him. He had on a light blue shirt, long black pants, and black shoes. "Did you put on black socks?" Martha asked as Yusei looked at himself in the mirror, trying to make sure everything was perfect. "Yes Martha. Never wear white socks with black shoes. I know." Martha smiled as she came into the bathroom.

"I know, but I just want your first date to go well." Yusei sprayed on some cologne. "I know. I want it to go well too." Martha smiled as Yusei finished up checking everything. "Okay. So I think this is as good as I'm going to get," he said aloud. He then went to door and Martha followed him. "Are you going to wear a tie?" she asked. Yusei mentally gasped. "I...don't really feel like it," he responded. Martha turned around. "Well, I think you'd look really good in one..."

"Fine I'll wear one," Yusei said in defeat. Martha turned back around. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she said with a smile, "It's your choice." Yusei tilted his head down at her. "I...really don't want to wear one." Martha chuckled as she put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay then." She retracted her hand. "Did you get her flowers again?" Yusei shrugged. "Since I just got her some, I thought I wouldn't saturate her with too many of them. If we get to go on another date, I'll probably get some then." Martha smiled at the thought of another date. "Well, just be yourself Yusei and don't worry. I know you'll do great." Martha then walked by him. "I'm going to go meet up with Zora. You two have fun." Yusei smiled. "I will!" Martha went out the door and Yusei took a few deep breaths once she was gone. "Okay Yusei. You can do this," he said quietly to himself.

Martha had offered Yusei her car, as it was much too cold and snowy to ride his runner. Plus, with the cold weather, he didn't want to force Akiza and him to walk in the cold. As Yusei drove, he couldn't lie to himself. He was nervous. Akiza was a very important person to him and he wanted to make sure that he didn't do something stupid to mess it up. Before he knew it, he was at the Izinski's house. He parked in their large driveway and got out. He had on his heavy winter coat. "Okay Yusei. You can do this," he said one last time to himself and he went up to the door. He rang the doorbell, but was surprised at just how quickly the door opened.

Waiting in the entryway, were Mr. and Ms. Izinski. They both had on heavy coats as well. "Good evening Yusei," Mr. Izinski answered. "Good evening," Yusei replied. He took a step inside. "Are you two going somewhere?" Ms. Izinski nodded. "Mr. Izinski and I are meeting up with some friends. So, we were just about to leave and wanted to make sure you got here safe and sound." Yusei smiled at their courtesy. "We'll be back in a couple hours," Mr. Izinski continued, "I hope that you two can come back by 10. Does that sound okay?" Yusei nodded. "Sure. I'll be sure to bring Akiza back by ten." The Izinski's smiled.

"Well, we'd better be on our way," Mr. Izinski noted, "Akiza's upstairs getting ready. You can take your jacket off as it will be a few minutes." Yusei nodded. "Thanks," he replied and started taking it off, "Have fun!" The Izinski's stepped outside. "We will," Ms. Izinski replied and Mr. Izinski shut the door. Yusei then hung his coat on a coat rack. He looked up at the long flight of stairs, waiting patiently for Akiza. As he waited, he wondered what she was wearing and if she was just as nervous as he was. Finally, he heard a voice.

"Yusei, are you there?" Yusei went up to the stairs. "Yes Akiza. You can come out whenever you're ready." He took a few steps back. "Okay. I'll be out in a minute," she answered. Yusei then waited, until he heard footsteps. Akiza walked up to the staircase and looked down at him. Yusei smiled when he saw her.

Akiza was wearing a long red dress, that went from her ankles and went up until it completely covered her chest. It was the exact same red as her hair. Akiza looked down the steps and smiled as she looked at Yusei, wearing a blue shirt that was the same sky blue as his eyes. She then slowly made her way down the steps, being careful not to trip on her red high heels. Once she made her way down, she looked at Yusei, who was still a few feet in front of her. "Yusei, you look amazing," Akiza commented. Yusei smiled. "Thanks. You look pretty amazing yourself." Akiza blushed. "Oh Yusei," she cried as she ran towards him with her arms out to her sides. However, Akiza quickly stopped herself as she realized what she was about to do. Her face looked stunned and worried. Yusei's face became stunned, as he watched her arms fall down to her sides and soon behind her back. He too realized what she was about to do. Akiza took a step back, as her face turned red. Yusei's face turned red as well.

Even though they had already kissed and made out, they still hadn't hugged before. Just a regular, loving hug. Akiza looked shyly at him and laughed quietly and awkwardly. Yusei tried to firm his face up a little bit and Akiza smiled hopefully at him. Yusei finally managed a smile and then stuck his arms out, letting Akiza know that it was okay. Akiza shyly looked away and then at him for a brief moment, before coming towards Yusei with her arms out to her sides. "Yusei!" Akiza cried. "Akiza," Yusei responded as they both took a step forward. They wrapped their arms tightly around the other and leaned their heads on the other's shoulder. Since they were almost the exact same height, it felt very comfortable and they both stayed silent, enjoying the moment.

Their first hug.

Finally, after enjoying the hug, they leaned back and smiled. "Well...should we go?" Yusei asked. Akiza nodded. "Okay." They each grabbed their coats and put them on. Akiza then grabbed her purse, which was laying near the door. Once they were set, Akiza took a set of keys from the key hangers by the door. They stepped out into the chilly December air, as they could easily see their breath, and Akiza made sure to lock the door. "Lets go," Akiza said aloud, once the door was locked. Yusei quickly went around to the right side of the car and opened the door for her. "Ladies first," he said and Akiza smiled at his courtesy. She got in and Yusei quickly went over to the left side, into the driver's seat. He started the renewable fuel car and backed out of the driveway.

As Yusei drove, he kept the radio down, just in case they wanted to talk. "I hope this place isn't too crowded," Akiza finally said once they went a couple blocks. "Don't worry," Yusei replied, "I got us a reservation." Akiza smiled. Yusei had planned a reservation and he let her pick out the restaurant. That was so nice of him. They talked a little about what went on while they were avoiding each other and how Akiza went to get a tree with her parents. However, they both kept quiet on what happened the last time they were alone together.

Once they got there, Akiza waited as Yusei quickly went around to help her with the door. "Thank you," she said as he shut and locked the door. They went around a corner and then into the restaurant. After going up a few steps, they went into the entryway, which was busy as Akiza had predicted. Yusei went up to a small counter. "Name?" she asked, as she had a list. "Actually, I made a reservation," Yusei replied, "Yusei for two." The hostess checked another list. "Okay. I'll be a few minutes before we can get the table open. You can sit until then." Yusei and Akiza nodded and thanked her. They took a seat on a long sofa and smiled.

"Thanks for getting a reservation," Akiza said as they took their seats. "No problem," Yusei replied and they looked at the people around them, until they heard their name called. They quickly got up and followed another hostess to their seat. It was a booth and table seated for two. "You can have the booth," Yusei noted, as he remembered the dating advice that he had secretly looked up online. Akiza smiled and they each took their seats. A waiter quickly walked up to them. "Can I get you two anything to drink?" he asked as he set down their menus. "Just water for me," Yusei said as he turned to Akiza. "Water for me as well." The man nodded and went off towards the kitchen.

Akiza and Yusei quickly started checking out the menu. "Everything sounds good," Akiza noted as they looked at the small, but very good sounding selections. "I know," Yusei answered back and they soon decided on what they wanted. The waiter quickly came back and took their orders. Once he took their menus, Akiza and Yusei finally got a chance to look at one another. As they looked curiously at each other, they both thought different things.

'Wow! She looks stunning,' Yusei thought as Akiza had on red lipstick and her gorgeous red dress. It didn't cover her shoulders and didn't have straps. However, it neatly covered her bosom and showed a little bit of her hourglass figure. 'She looks beautiful in anything she wears.'

Akiza, on the other hand, noticed something about Yusei's outfit. It wasn't the stuff that she already noticed, like the sky blue was the same color as his eyes or that he had long black pants, socks, and shoes. It was that, by his armpits, were two dark circles, and one was bigger than the other. 'He's nervous,' Akiza thought. For a moment, Akiza thought about the situation. Lots of people thought that Yusei had "nerves of steel" and wasn't afraid of anything. However, Martha and Akiza (and maybe some other people too) knew that that simply wasn't true. Yusei got nervous just as much as every normal guy did. However, when had to save the world twice, he didn't have time to show his fear or nervousness. So, people started to assume that he wasn't afraid of anything and that he was invincible. Akiza couldn't help, but smile at the situation.

Here was a man, who lots of people thought had "nerves of steel" and didn't get nervous about anything. Yet, here he was nervous. About a date. With her! Akiza continued to smile, knowing that Yusei was finally showing (although maybe not willing) that he got nervous and it was over a date with her. 'Maybe that's why he always wore that blue jacket,' Akiza thought, 'To hide the sweat.'

Akiza figured that with Yusei being as nervous as he was, she would give him some time to calm his nerves. "I'm going to bathroom," Akiza said as she got up, "Watch my purse for me will ya?" Yusei watched her turn towards the restroom. "Sure thing," he replied back and waited until she was out of sight. Once she was, Yusei got to take a deep breath, for the first time since their date had begun. "Okay, everything is going great," Yusei said quietly to himself. He tilted his head down. "All you have to do now is..."

Yusei saw the black circles. He quickly put his hands into the opposite armpit. 'Oh crap!' he thought, 'How long have they been there?' Yusei lifted his arms slightly up, to asset the damage. 'Oh no!' he thought, 'They've probably been there since the very beginning! I thought I put on enough deodorant!' He took his napkin and tried to dab off some off the sweat, but it was not going to go away anytime soon. He watched the restrooms for when Akiza came back and, as soon as he saw her, he quickly put the napkin back into his lap.

"I'm back," Akiza said proudly and took a seat. She looked across the table, to see that Yusei kept looking away. 'He must have seen the sweat stains,' Akiza thought, 'I should try to calm him down a little.' She spotted Yusei's left hand on the table. She could see the bones in his hand and a few blue veins stuck out. She gently and quietly brought her right hand over to him. She gently touched his long, thin fingers. "Yusei," she said softly and he looked over at her, as their eyes became locked. "I...wanted to talk to you about something."

Yusei firmed up. "Okay. So, what is it about?" Akiza frowned and looked down at the empty table space in front of her. "I'm...sorry about what happened the last time we met," she started in a soft, gentle voice, "I shouldn't have made you jealous over that guy. I was only kidding, but...I shouldn't have done that. I don't want to upset you and I apologize for the trouble I caused. Now, my Dad probably thought we were going to get intimate, and that was never the case. I'm...sorry." Yusei frowned as well and he waited a moment for speaking up.

"Akiza. It's...my fault for what happened. If I hadn't overreacted and taken the situation too seriously, none of that would have ever happened." He looked down at the table, as Akiza looked up to him. "I do take things too seriously and I apologize. I deserved your Dad's anger and frustration, because if I saw a guy with his shirt off with my daughter, I would think the exact same thing. So, don't blame yourself Akiza. It was my fault."

Akiza and Yusei both frowned. They were both taking the blame. "Are...you insecure about yourself?" Akiza finally asked, "Do you now believe that you need to become muscular and strong, because of what I said?" Yusei shook his head. "Not really. I mean, when you first said it, I was a little more self-conscious about my looks." Akiza's face saddened, so Yusei quickly spoke up. "But I realized that, as long as I am happy with how I look, that's all that matters." Akiza became a little more hopeful. "So, do you like how you look?"

Yusei gave her his confident smile. "I think I look great," he replied, but his face quickly turned sad, "Why? Do...you find me attractive?" Akiza's face brightened and she nodded her head. "I think you look great and if you're happy, then I'm happy too." The two of them smiled at one another, as a bad conversation had turned out to be really positive.

"So...since I find you attractive, do you find me attractive?" Akiza finally asked. Yusei was caught off guard as he blushed at the thought. Even though he had never seen Akiza in anything very revealing, he didn't have to think twice about his response. "I...think you look great," he answered a little shyly, as he looked down at the table. Akiza smiled and they both were happy that they found the other beautiful, even if they had their faults.

Their conversation quickly was put on hold, as the waiter brought them their soup and salad. They then started talking about the food and, before they could even start a new topic, their dinners arrived. As they finished up their pasta, the bill arrived. Yusei went to take it, but Akiza quickly grabbed it before he could get to it. "Akiza, you don't have to do this. After all, I was the one who offered you the date." Akiza shook her head. "Yusei. We're already good friends and you have done so much for me." Yusei still got out his wallet and took out a few dollar bills. "Akiza. It's okay. I can easily pay for it. See?" Akiza shook her head and held onto the bill. "No way," she replied and she dug into her purse. She took out a few dollar bills and quickly called the waiter over before Yusei could convince her otherwise. "Keep the change," Akiza said and she turned to Yusei, who had a stunned look on his face. Yusei had read that the guy should pay for the date, but apparently Akiza thought otherwise. He finally smiled and put the money back into his wallet. Even though they had a disagreement, things didn't become very heated.

"Well, we'd better head back," Yusei noted. "But...can we walk around for a little bit?" Akiza asked. Yusei checked his watch and smiled. "We've got some time. Your Dad wanted you to be home by 10." Akiza shrugged. "Oh. Well, if that's the case, we've got plenty of time." She quickly got up. "Come on. Lets get going." Yusei nodded and they quickly got their jackets on. They walked outside, into the crisp and cool air. Akiza spotted a mall nearby. "Lets go there," she said excitedly. Yusei looked at where she was pointing. "A shopping mall?" Yusei asked, "But Akiza, we hate shopping." Akiza shrugged. "We don't have to buy anything. We can just walk around." Yusei sighed. "All right, but make sure we leave early enough so we can get back on time." Akiza nodded and they headed for the mall.

Once they got inside, they started looking around. "We don't have to go into any stores," Akiza noted, "We can just walk around and enjoy the season." Yusei smiled and they walked past a few different stores. They went past a jewelry store, a clothing store, and a toy store. They looked inside the last one, to find parents quickly trying to find their kid the perfect toy. "Glad we don't have to be in that mess huh?" Akiza asked and Yusei agreed. They walked upstairs and walked around again. They saw a few big Christmas displays and kids getting their picture with Santa Claus. After walking around, they finally decided that they had soaked in enough of the holiday spirit, and they headed back to the car.

"Well, that was fun," Yusei said, "I have never really walked around the mall during the holidays. I just tried to stay away from it." Akiza nodded in agreement and Yusei opened the door to let her in. Akiza got inside the cold car and Yusei quickly ran around and started it, trying to heat it up as quickly as he could. Yusei checked the time on the radio and he had plenty of time to reach the Izinski's. However, he still wanted to get there in time, so he would not upset them.

Once he pulled into the driveway, Akiza got out, without Yusei's help, and they walked together to the front door. There, they stopped and faced one another.

"Thanks for everything Yusei. I had fun." Yusei smiled. "I did too Akiza. It was great getting to go out with you." Akiza blushed and chuckled. "Listen," Yusei said after a moment in a kind voice, "I know this sounds bad, but I really mean well. Do you think...we could avoid seeing each other each and every day? I mean, we did that over the past week, and it really made tonight special." Akiza thought about it for a moment. "Yeah...I guess. I mean...tonight _was _really fun." Yusei decided that Akiza wasn't convinced and, just like a night a few months ago, he grabbed her hands. "Akiza. I know it sounds like a bad thing, but I just want to keep nights like tonight special. I mean, if we only see each other a few times a week, it'll help us not get so attached. It would also help for when you have to go back to Germany." Akiza nodded, as she remembered. "I know, but..." She looked up at him with a worried look on her face. "Will you think of me any less?" Yusei shook his head. "Not a chance Akiza. You're a great friend and I wouldn't trade you for the world." Akiza blushed and they both started leaning forward, knowing that they were going to kiss.

Suddenly, the front door swung open. "Oh darn! I miss timed it." Akiza and Yusei looked towards the open door, to find Martha and Ms. Izinski trying to take a picture. "I knew we opened the door too early," Ms. Izinski noted as she took her eye from the lens. Akiza and Yusei looked stunned. "Martha, Ms. Izinski," Yusei started. "What were you doing?" Akiza and Yusei finished together. Ms. Izinski and Martha looked embarrassed. "We just wanted to take a picture of the two of you on your first date," Martha explained. The young couple rolled their eyes. "Is you just wanted a picture, you could have asked," Yusei replied.

The two of them took a step inside, as Mr. Izinski was there too. Yusei and Akiza looked around. "Here," Akiza said and they walked in front of the large staircase. They each got into position and moved around so that they would look good. Ms. Izinski and Martha adjusted their cameras, as they tried to take a picture of the two of them together. Once they were all set, the women put their fingers by the camera buttons. "On three say 'I love you,' " Martha teased as Yusei and Akiza's eyes got big. They quickly got back to their position and just smiled as the cameras started taking pictures.

Their first date.

Once Yusei was all set, he said goodbye to Akiza. They hugged briefly and awkwardly, especially with their parents nearby. They also avoided a kiss as they were still uncomfortable kissing in front of their parents. Martha and Yusei then headed for her car. "So, it sounds like the two you had a good time," Martha noted and Yusei nodded. "So, what did you get Akiza for Christmas?" Yusei's eyes got big and he quickly became worried.

'Christmas?' he thought, 'Oh crap! I didn't buy Akiza a gift!'

**A/N: I hope the Chapter was good and hope everything was okay.**

**Next Chapter: It's Christmas and Yusei needs to get Akiza a gift. Will Yusei find the perfect gift?  
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	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10!  
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**Master of Ra: Don't worry! There will be a Chapter like that in the future. Thanks for the suggestion!  
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**Thanks for the reviews and here's the next Chapter (with the twins, Jack, and Crow all appearing)!  
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Yusei went home and watched TV. He looked at all the luring Christmas deals, but didn't know what to get Akiza for Christmas. He brushed his teeth and quickly hopped into bed. He tossed and turned trying to think. He wouldn't rest until he could figure out what to get her. Midnight, one o'clock went by and he just kept tossing and turning. Not only was he worried about the gift, but he was also becoming worried about not being able to fall asleep. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he started to dream.

_Yusei's Dream_

Yusei was over at Akiza's house. They were both sitting on their knees and facing each other. They were both wearing their normal attire and Akiza was smiling at him. The Christmas tree was to his left, with brightly colored lights and ornaments. It was snowing gently outside and it was clear that it was Christmas Day. Yusei looked down and saw a neatly wrapped box in front of him. He smiled at the box and then at Akiza. Yusei picked up the box and held it out in front of him. "Here you go Akiza. I hope you like it." Akiza blushed and took the box from him. She unwrapped the box and took the lid off. "Oh Yusei. It's..." She showed him the box.

"Nothing." Yusei gasped when all he saw was a gray bottom. Akiza's face quickly filled with tears. "Oh Yusei. How could you not get me anything for Christmas?" She started to cry and all Yusei could do was look at her. Her face was full of disappointment and sadness.

_End Dream_

"Akiza!" Yusei said quickly as he leaned up in his bed. Yusei took a moment to catch his breath as he noticed the back of his t-shirt was wet. He quickly took off his sleep mask and saw that it was sunny outside. Yusei sighed as he laid back down. "So, it was all a dream?" Yusei asked. He turned over on his side. "Too bad my dream didn't tell me what to get Akiza."

Later that morning, Yusei decided that he had to go to a place he didn't want to go: the mall. Yusei was never big on shopping, even when he was looking at something he liked. He felt bad for some of the workers though, as a couple of times he saw and heard another customer being really rude to them. Yusei sighed as he walked to the mall. Without Martha's car, he made sure to put his hood up as he tried to stay warm. 'How come the coldest day this week has to be today?' he wondered as he stood at a stoplight.

Once he got to the mall, he quickly ran inside. He had entered through a store and noticed a chocolate area nearby. 'Hmm. Chocolate sounds kind of good right now,' Yusei thought. When he made his way out, he saw a bunch of shops. He sighed as he looked at the same displays and images that Akiza and him had done the night before. He slowly started looking around at different stores, trying to see if there was one that would bring him a quick and easy exit. "How about jewelry?" Yusei wondered and he went inside the store.

As he looked around, he saw lots of rings, watches, and necklaces. Yusei honestly didn't know what to choose or pick out. He then spotted earrings. However, they were all for pierced ears and Yusei knew that Akiza only had clip-on earrings. He moved down to find only a small selection of clip on earrings and asked a gentleman if there were any other ones available. "Nope," the worker replied, "Most stores here don't offer much when it comes to clips on earrings." Yusei sighed and thanked him for his time. Even if there was a bigger selection, Yusei had no idea what to get Akiza in terms of jewelry. Plus, he would hate the thought of getting her something that she didn't like and, on top of that, have him pay a good amount for it. Yusei decided that jewelry was not the right idea and headed outside.

He eventually made his way into a clothing store. As Yusei looked in the women's section, he found a few different shirts that Akiza _might_ like. However, yet again, he found himself questioning the chances of Akiza liking it. Not to mention the fact that he didn't know her size and, with Akiza's incredibly large bust, a t-shirt could easily turn into a belly shirt trying to cover her cleavage. Yusei sighed as he tried to put the shirts back into their proper location. Once he was done, he ruled that clothing was out.

Yusei looked at his watch. "11:00," he said and decided to take a seat at a bench. He looked on, as kids were lining up to meet Santa Claus and their parents tried to keep them occupied until the big moment. Yusei sighed as all their crying and carrying on gave him a headache and he decided to sit somewhere else. When he did find a more quiet location, he contemplated his options. 'Okay, jewelry is out and so is clothing. So maybe he could try for...' He looked up and saw a make up section of a store. 'Make up!' he said and a smile finally appeared on his face. He got up and then quickly went inside.

As Yusei looked around, he was rather confused and unsure about the nature and purpose of all of the make up. He went to a male worker, who was putting things back. "Excuse me. Do you know anything about make up?" The short brown haired man with glasses chuckled. "I'm honestly a normal guy and know nothing about it," he admitted, "But I'll try my best." Yusei smiled and he picked something from off of the shelf. "Okay. What does this do?" The two of them looked at the pencil shaped and sharpened object. "I don't know," the worker admitted, "It looks like a colored pencil." Yusei nodded. "I know. I've always thought that too," Yusei admitted, "Why don't they just buy a colored pencil?" The worker then grabbed something else. "And why is there a pencil sharpener here? Can't they just use a regular one?"

"Exactly," Yusei said in a agreement and they looked at the pencil sharpener. The store worker's walkie soon started talking. "Can we get help at the check lanes?" The worker spoke into it. "I'm with a guest," he called. "Please," the female voice pleaded. The thin glasses wearing man sighed. "Crap," he muttered, "I'll come up." He looked to Yusei. "Sorry man." Yusei gave him a thumbs up. "It's all right," he replied, "Thanks for the help." The worker nodded and walked past him. Yusei's attention soon turned back to the make up. 'I guess make up is out of the question,' Yusei thought. On his way out though, he grabbed a small bag of candy and went to the man who was just helping him. "Need something for the road?" the worker asked and Yusei nodded as he handed him some dollar bills. The worker quickly gave him change and thanked him.

As Yusei walked out and ate the candy, he couldn't help, but wonder if he would ever find something for Akiza. He went to another store and looked at some purses. Yet again, he had no idea of Akiza's style and tastes and decided that it was best to avoid getting her a purse. He looked at some belts and wallets too, but they were no good. As Yusei exited the store, he heard his stomach growl. Even though it was only a little after noon, he decided to head to the food court. He smelled someone making stir fry, in between all the fast food food. 'It's been a long time since I've had that,' Yusei thought and he went over to an Asian man, who took his order.

Once Yusei had filled up his stomach, he decided that he had had enough of the mall, and headed for the shop that he had entered in. Yusei looked around the store one last time and wondered if they would make a great gift. Plates, small appliances, and coffee makers were on sale, but Yusei knew that Akiza had no need for those types of things. He looked on and saw the same chocolate area that he noticed when he first walked in. He went up to the display and looked around. A sign read, "Chocolate! Makes a great gift!" As much as Yusei wanted to get Akiza something else, he decided that _a_ gift was better than_ no_ gift. He recalled his nightmare from the night before and concluded that he would get Akiza some chocolate. He looked around, trying to figure out what assortment Akiza would enjoy the most. He decided that he wouldn't be cheap and buy the cheapest one, but at the same time, he didn't want to fork over a ton of money on just chocolate. He finally decided on one that was in between and paid for it.

As he walked out, he still felt the lingering disappointment of buying Akiza chocolate. Yusei felt ashamed, but at the same time, he gave it his best, and that was all he could do. He went back to his apartment and put the chocolates in a safe place, awaiting for the day Akiza would receive it as a gift.

Christmas Eve was a few days later and Martha was having a get together. Yusei and Martha worked together on planning, because Martha had personally invited the Izinski's to come over afterwards. Many of Martha's friends had their own family gatherings to attend to, including Zora, but Martha still wanted to hold a party, like she had done for many years. So, instead of just having Yusei and herself, Martha asked the Izinski's to come over and they were more than happy to come.

That night, Martha and Yusei were getting ready for Akiza and her parents to arrive. Martha had already planned a big amount of food, although not as big as she normally made, and Yusei tried his best to help her. As Yusei was putting some cheese onto a plate, the doorbell rang. "Yusei, can you go get that?" Martha asked and Yusei nodded. He went to the door and opened it to find Mr. and Ms. Izinski in front of him.

"Come on in," Yusei said as he gestured for the Izinski couple to come inside, "Martha's in the kitchen getting things ready. I think she could use some help." The two of them quickly took off their jackets. "Don't worry," Mr. Izinski replied, "We'll help her out." They hung their coats up and quickly scurried to the kitchen. "Hello Martha!" Martha smiled. "Oh I'm so happy to see you two again..."

As Yusei heard the three of them start to talk, he heard a noise coming from outside. It was the sound of high heels and Akiza soon appeared in the light coming from the house. "Akiza," Yusei said happily and made some room for her to come inside. "Yusei," she replied and made her way inside. Yusei then shut the door. "Can I take your coat?" he asked politely, but Akiza shook her head as she took it off. "That's okay. I've got it." She took off her coat and hung it up. They were both wearing the same outfits as on their date and had spotted each other earlier at the Christmas service. However, due to it being crowded, they were unable to sit near one another, but they did wave to each other before it got started.

Back in the present, Yusei and Akiza smiled at one another. They were both hesitant in being affectionate, as they both could hear their parents talking. However, they also shared the joy of seeing one another again, as they hadn't visited each other since their date. Akiza set her purse down by the coat hangers and they both decided that they had enough privacy for just the two of them. They stepped towards one another and put their arms out, as they wrapped one another in a hug. "I missed you," Akiza said aloud. "I missed you too," Yusei replied as they leaned back and quickly kissed on the lips. They stared at one another for a few moments, as they smiled and looked deeply into each other's eyes.

"Do you wanna sit down?" Yusei finally asked as Akiza nodded. They both made their way to two separate blue chairs. "I'm really happy we agreed to not see each so often," Akiza started. Yusei nodded. "Me too," he replied. They both watched as Mr. and Ms. Izinski started bringing food out to some tables that were set up in another room. "Do you think we should help them out?" Akiza asked as she stood up. "I think we should," Yusei answered and they both headed for the kitchen.

With their extra help, they quickly got all of food on the tables and, after saying grace, they dug in. They all sat around the chairs, that Akiza and Yusei sat in earlier, along with a couple of sofas. As they all talked, they remembered some fun times they had years ago, what foods were good, and what they thought about the local news. Before they knew it, it was almost 10:00, and they agreed that it was time to clean up. They all pitched in and, about an hour later, they were finished.

"Well, I guess we'll all head over to your house tomorrow," Martha noted as the Izinski's got ready to leave. "That sounds good," Mr Izinski replied, "We've got everything set." As they said their goodbyes, they all exchanged hugs, except for Yusei and Mr. Izinski who just shook hands. Yusei couldn't help, but blush when Ms. Izinski gave him a big hug. 'Well, now I know where Akiza gets her chest from,' Yusei thought as she squished him with her arms. What was steadily becoming the normal thing to do, was everyone letting Yusei and Akiza be the last ones to say goodbye. The adults gave them their space as Martha helped get some food that the Izinski's "suddenly wanted." After Yusei and Akiza shared a quick hug and kiss, they both said that they would see each other the following day. Once all three of the Izinski's had left, Yusei sighed as he stood next to Martha.

"So, you finally have a gift for Akiza?" Martha asked and Yusei nodded. 'I just hope she's not disappointed,' Yusei thought.

The next morning, Yusei got up, and looked around. Today was Christmas Day. He couldn't help, but sigh, as the holiday had gotten less exciting over the years. However, this year was going to be different. He was going to experience it with a new family and there was someone special that he would be giving a present to. Yusei went to the kitchen and decided to make some scrambled eggs. Afterwards, he got out the gift he had bought for Akiza. It was now a red and forest green wrapped box. It wasn't perfectly wrapped, but Yusei had done his best, just like his search for the perfect gift. He put it on the table and then watched TV, until Martha rang the doorbell. Once she did, Yusei grabbed his gift and coat and they were on their way to the Izinski's.

When they got there, Yusei let Martha go ahead of him and then stayed a little ways from the door. Martha went inside, when Akiza greeted her. She then directed Martha to the family room, where her parents were there to greet her. When Akiza turned back towards the door, Yusei was walking up the front step. "Hey Yusei," Akiza said as he stepped inside and shut the door. They then gave each other a hug and a brief kiss. "Merry Christmas," Yusei noted. "Merry Christmas," Akiza replied. She looked down at the long, thin box. It was hard not to miss the "To: Akiza From: Yusei" tag on the present. "Oh. I guess I'll have to open that later," Akiza said and Yusei nodded. "Yeah," he replied awkwardly, "I'll just put this under the tree."

As he headed for the tree, he couldn't help, but frown. 'Will she like it though?' Yusei wondered. He noticed, as he set it down, another gift by the tree. It had "From Akiza To Yusei" on it. He wondered what it was and wondered how much Akiza probably paid for it. He looked on, as Martha and Akiza's parents were laughing loudly at something. Yusei finally cracked a smile. 'Well, at least I'll be with people that care about me,' Yusei thought, 'So I guess today can't be too bad.'

The Izinski's, as they promised Akiza, had a Thanksgiving style with dinner with all the trimmings. Although Thanksgiving was only about a month ago, no one minded eating the same foods again. They all sat around the table and ate, unlike the night before where everyone picked out a place to sit. To be honest, it made everyone feel as though they were one family. It was nice to hear everyone talk and laugh, enjoying the meal. Akiza and Yusei were especially happy, since everyone was getting along. As dinner finished up, the video phone rang and Akiza went to get it.

"Hey Akiza," Leo and Luna said, "Merry Christmas!" Akiza smiled. "Hey you guys! Leo and Luna are on the phone!" They all got up and headed over to the video screen. "Wow! Everyone's there," Leo noted. "Well, not everyone," Yusei noted, "But it's good to hear from you again. It's been a couple of weeks." The twins nodded. "Yeah. Well, we just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!" Leo said excitedly, "This year, I know I can stay up until midnight." Martha laughed. "You've never stayed up until midnight?" Leo shook his head. "Well, good luck," Martha encouraged him.

"Thanks," Leo replied, "So what are you guys eating? Yusei has some food on his face." Sure enough, Yusei had some cranberry sauce on the side of his lips. "Oh, nothing much," Yusei replied, "Just a whole Thanksgiving meal." Leo frowned. "Thanksgiving meal? Aww! I want some!" Luna put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Leo. We can order something like that tomorrow." Leo put his hands in the air. "All right! I'll get to eat turkey after all!" Everyone laughed.

"Well thanks for calling us you guys and we'll talk to you soon," Akiza said and they all said goodbye. They then went back to the table and finished eating, Soon afterward, another video call came through and this time, it was Crow. "Hey Crow," Yusei said as he stood next to Akiza, "How's it going?"

"Good," Crow replied, "It's nice to have a Christmas without snow and be 80 degrees outside. Unlike you guys who have to deal with all that snow." Yusei and Akiza rolled their eyes. "Yeah. You're living without snow," Yusei replied, "Good for you." Crow wasn't done though. "Yeah. It's sunny. I can drink my lemonade. I can go in the pool." Martha came up them. "Crow! Are you bragging on Christmas?" Crow became worried. "Um...no Martha. I was just...um...stating facts."

"Well, it sounds like bragging to me," Martha replied, "You should be ashamed." After Martha gave Crow a lesson on bragging, he apologized and they started talking about other things that Crow was up to. "Yeah. I'm joining this new team this season and I think we'll do really well."

"That's fantastic Crow," Yusei replied. Crow's phone then rang. "Whoops. Gotta get this call. Talk to you later." They all said goodbye, but as soon as they hung up, another person was calling in. It was their blonde hair friend and, as usual, he had a frown on his face.

"Hey," he said in a upset tone, "Merry Christmas." Yusei and Akiza chuckled. "Jack, if there ever was a Ebenezer Scrooge of Christmas, you'd be it," Akiza said as she continued chuckling. Suddenly, Jack's face turned to rage. "Ebenezer Scrooge? I'm not like that rich bastard." Yusei rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah? You want rich people stuff, care only about yourself, want money, have your face pastured on anything..." He leaned into Akiza's ear. "And I mean _anything." _Akiza laughed and Jack became more upset. "What did you say to her?" Jack demanded. "Nothing," Yusei replied, "I just said you'd do anything to make money." Jack made fist. "Are you talking about that new ad that I sent you. Having a shirt off is _not _inappropriate. I just like to show off my good looks. You're probably just jealous, because I actually have muscles and look good with a shirt off."

"Jack!" Martha interrupted, "First it was Crow and now it is you. Bragging on Christmas." Yusei and Akiza tried to hold back from laughing, as she gave almost the exact same speech as she did with Crow. "Now, be nice and say your sorry."

"I'm sorry," Jack mumbled. "What was that?" Martha asked. "I'm sorry!" Jack finally said and Martha nodded. "That's better. Now, how are you?" Jack talked about his plans for the upcoming season and he had a real hard time not mentioning how he was going to be #1 or the best. Finally, Jack managed to make it through the conversation, and everyone smiled. "Well that sounds great," Martha replied, "I hope you also have a good new year."

"Yeah...I'll be celebrating it with...a friend." Akiza looked slyly at him. "A friend?" she asked, "Would that happen to be Carly?" Jack stuttered as he talked. "Um..no! It's...a friend. I'm not into romance like you two are...so...hey! Look at the time gotta go! Bye!" The screen quickly shut off and Yusei and Akiza gave each other a knowing look. Afterwards, Martha made an announcement. "Okay! It's time for presents everyone!" Yusei bit his lip. 'Well, here goes nothing.'

Martha had brought over a few gifts for the Izinski's. Akiza got a gift card to the Spaghetti Maker. "Now you two can go back there," Martha noted as Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. She gave the Izinski's a new birdhouse, since Ms. Izinski noted that a squirrel had messed up one of them. Mr. and Ms. Izinski gave Martha gift card to a grocery store, in case she or any orphans needed food.

Now that the adults were done exchanging, they all left the room, to leave Akiza and Yusei alone. They both went over to the tree and sat down on their knees. Akiza smiled as she took a box from under the tree. "Here you go Yusei. Merry Christmas." Yusei smiled as he took it. "Thank you," he replied. He started taking off the paper gently, until Akiza spoke up. "You don't have to be fancy with it Yusei. You can just rip it." Yusei took one large rip of paper and saw what was inside. It had German writing on it, but Akiza had put a sheet of paper over it, since she knew Yusei wouldn't understand what it meant. She wrote in black letters: "Merry Christmas Yusei. From Akiza." Yusei then studied the box.

"It's a box of German chocolate," Akiza said happily, "I didn't know what to get you, so I got you this." Yusei stared at the box. 'Oh how ironic,' Yusei thought. A smile quickly appeared on his face. "Thanks so much Akiza. I'm sure I'll enjoy it." He slowly set the box down, to his left, in front of the tree. He proceeded to grab the other box, that was meant for Akiza. "Here Akiza. Merry Christmas." Akiza blushed. "Thank you Yusei." Yusei watched as Akiza's long, delicate fingers unwrapped the box. As Akiza got closer and closer to seeing what it was, Yusei hung his head in shame. He didn't have to look up, to know when Akiza saw what it was. "Oh Yusei! You got me chocolate! Thank you!" Akiza said as she put the box in front of her chest.

"I'm sorry," Yusei quickly replied. "Huh?" Akiza asked. Yusei sighed. "I'm sorry I got you such a terrible gift. I spent hours at the mall last Saturday, trying to find something to get you. I didn't know what your tastes are or what you would like or not like. Finally, on my way out, I bought these, because I had no other options. I'm sorry Akiza." He spoke his last words softly. "You deserve someone better than me." Akiza's face saddened and she quickly pushed herself up to Yusei. "Yusei..." Akiza said softly as she set the box down and held his hands.

"You spent hours at the mall, which I know you don't like to do, looking for a gift for me. That speaks volumes as to how much you wanted me to have a good Christmas." She smiled. "You don't have to worry if the gift was good or not." Yusei looked up at her. "It's the thought that counts Yusei and besides, it doesn't matter if the gift is chocolate or jewelry. The fact that you got me a gift and the fact that I get to spend time with you on Christmas, is the best gift of all." Akiza smiled proudly at him. "Thank you so much for letting me spend time with you today Yusei and thank you for getting me a gift." She paused for a moment. "It really makes me feel special."

Yusei couldn't help, but smile. The fact that Akiza was happy, not only being with him, but also giving her a gift, meant a lot to him. "But...just spending time with you isn't really a gift." Akiza shook her head. "It is to me." Yusei felt his face start to get hot as he looked stunned. He finally closed his mouth and leaned forward. "Akiza," he said. "Yusei," Akiza answered and they hugged tightly. After a moment, they leaned back. "Merry Christmas Yusei and thank you for the gift." Yusei smiled. "Merry Christmas Akiza." They leaned forward again, but this time, they kissed on the lips. Their kiss was on the verge of become passionate, until they heard a voice.

"Is someone under mistletoe?" Martha asked as Yusei and Akiza stopped kissing. Their parents were all watching them and the younger couple blushed bashfully at them. "Here. How about we take a picture of you two in front of the tree?" Ms. Izinski asked. Yusei and Akiza put their chocolates on top of one another and slid them back. They then faced forward, as they were both still sitting on their knees.

"Okay. One...two...three," the two older women said as Yusei and Akiza smiled for the cameras. They had a reason to smile, as their first Christmas was better than they had hoped for.

**A/N: Hope you liked the brief re-appearances by the other characters.**

**Next time: New Years Eve and Akiza has to go back to Germany.  
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	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11!  
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**A/N: It's New Year's Eve and Akiza heads off to Germany again.  
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Now that Christmas was over, it was time for the final holiday of the season: New Year's Eve. Yusei knew that it would mean one more party and, although he would see her again before she left, he wanted to spend time with Akiza in between Christmas and New Years. So, a couple days later, he decided to invite her over to his apartment, so she could see it for the first time. He met her outside the door when Akiza arrived.

"Hey Akiza," Yusei called to her as she ran up to him, "You ready to go inside?" Akiza nodded and Yusei turned to the door. After opening it up with a security card, Yusei let Akiza go in first. Akiza smiled as she walked in and looked around. "Wow Yusei! For a moment, I thought I was entering the twin's apartment." Yusei locked the door and turned around. "Well...I guess it's technically the twin's apartment, since they bought it for me." Akiza turned around and put her hands behind her back. "It must be fun getting to live here on your own."

'It'd be even more fun if I got to live with you,' Yusei thought, but made sure he didn't say it aloud. He went up to her and they wrapped each other in a hug. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and Akiza blushed. "I'm glad you like it." Akiza smiled. "So, what do you wanna do now?" Yusei shrugged. "Want to watch a movie?" Akiza nodded. "Sure thing. Can I pick it out?" Yusei nodded. "Of course." Akiza laughed and they both headed for the sofa. Akiza started looking through the movie package that came with owning an apartment in the Tops. "How about this one?" Akiza asked and showed it to Yusei. "A comedy? Sounds good to me." Akiza hit play and the movie started.

A few minutes into the movie, Yusei got up. "I'll go get us some popcorn." Akiza nodded and continued watching the movie. A few minutes later, Yusei still wasn't back and Akiza checked her watch. "Where is he?" Akiza wondered. She had heard the microwave go off a few times, so she wondered how making popcorn could take so long. Suddenly, a giant bowl of popcorn was in front of her along with a pair of lemon-line sodas. "Popcorn?" Yusei asked as he held a tray out in front of her. "Sure," Akiza replied and took a handful of popcorn. Yusei set the tray on the coffee table in front of her and sat down next to her. Akiza then took another couple handfuls full of popcorn. "Wow Akiza! I didn't know you liked popcorn so much!" Akiza had her mouthful and turned to him. "Why? You don't?" Yusei smiled. "No, I love it. In fact I was worried I'd end up eating most of it." Akiza swallowed the popcorn in her mouth. "Well, if that's the case, we don't have much trouble finishing it."

Sure enough, by the end of the movie, Yusei and Akiza had finished both the popcorn and sodas. Yusei let out a loud belch as the credits started to roll. "Yusei, did you have to burp so loud?" Yusei laughed. "What I was just trying to be like Justin when he went to that pizza place." Akiza rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? And what other lessons has this movie taught you?" Yusei grinned as he turned to her. "Well, there was that time when Justin and Jessica started..." He quickly put both his hands on Akiza's stomach, but made sure to avoid touching her chest. "Tickling on the couch!" Yusei's fingers quickly started rubbing against Akiza's stomach and she fell backwards onto the couch. Yusei continued tickling her stomach, as they both started laughing.

Yusei continued tickling her, but continued to avoid touching her chest. To be honest, Yusei had never touched her chest with his hands, which was a good thing, and he didn't want today to be his first. As Akiza pleaded with Yusei, she quickly got an idea. "Yusei...Yusei...you're forgetting something! You're forgetting something!" Yusei stopped as she sat up. "What's that?" Akiza smiled. "The fact that Jessica got to tickle him back!" Akiza followed Yusei's lead and started tickling him. After a while, they finally got tired, but they continued to laugh. As they caught their breath, they smiled at each other.

"Well, I guess I'd better get going," Akiza stated as she got up. Yusei got up as well. "Okay," he replied. The two of them wrapped their arms around one another in hug and they held each other close for a few moments. "So, I'll come over for the New Year's Eve party?" Yusei asked as he leaned back. Akiza nodded. "Sure. Martha's invited as well. To be honest, it's not much of a party. We just sit around and eat snacks." Yusei shrugged. "That sounds like a party to me." Akiza laughed and they then kissed one another on the lips. They let got and Akiza headed for the door. "Bye Yusei!" Akiza said with a wave. "Bye Akiza!" Yusei replied as she shut the door.

A few days later, Yusei arrived at the Izinski's with Martha. Akiza's parents answered the door. "Yusei. Martha. It's so nice to see you two," Ms. Izinski stated as they came inside and took off their coats. "Yusei!" Akiza said excitedly as she went up to Yusei, who smiled at her. "Akiza. Happy New Year." Akiza put her arms around him. "Happy New Year to you too." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, when her parents and Martha weren't looking, and she led them to the living room. There, the Izinski's had some food set out on the table, which mostly contained small snacks and sodas. "There's some meatballs and little wienies in the kitchen," Mr. Izinski reminded them and everyone sat down.

After talking and eating for a little while, Ms. Izinski asked everyone if they wanted to play a game. Yusei and Akiza weren't really going for it, but the other three adults wanted them to join in. "Come on," Ms. Izinski insisted, "Lets play charades. Okay, now who's on a team? We have an odd number."

"I'll just watch," Martha replied quickly, "How about couple versus couple?" The Izinski's parents looked at one another. "Do you think we have a chance?" Mr. Izinski asked. "Of course we do," his wife replied, "Come on. I'll get the cards out." She did and the older Izinski's went first. They got a rather easy one and quickly solved the charade. It was then time for the younger couple to go and Akiza got "row boat."

"Ready? Go!" Martha said as she started the timer. Akiza quickly tried to make a rowing motion. "Dancing," Yusei replied and Akiza shook her head. She quickly made a swimming motion and Yusei got that one. She then made the rowing motion again. "Um...swimming boat," Yusei replied and Akiza made circles with her hands. "A...row boat!" Yusei concluded and Akiza put her hands in the air. They then gave each other high fives. After their opponents missed on vacuum cleaner, they got a chance to take the lead. Yusei looked at the card and it said "fried chicken."

He quickly made a bird motion and Akiza understood. He then tried to make an up and down motion with his hand. Akiza just looked lost. "What is that?" she asked. Yusei pulled on his collar. "Okay. Hot," Akiza replied and Yusei started with his up and down motion again. Akiza just sat there lost. "Time!" Martha proclaimed and Yusei sat down. "Fried chicken," he answered. "Oh," Akiza said in surprise, "So I guess that was a deep fryer." Yusei nodded. "But why didn't you make a sizzling motion or something?" Yusei face palmed himself at the miss.

After the next three turns were all figured out, it was time for Yusei to go again. This time, he got "doughnut hole."

'That should be easy,' Yusei thought. He quickly made a circle with his hand once the timer started. He then put the circle into his mouth. "Bagel!" Akiza shouted. 'All right! She's really close now!' Yusei thought. He then made a circle with his hand. "Um...tortilla? Cracker?" Yusei's face froze. 'No! She's going the wrong way!' He quickly started making the circle with his hand and then a sprinkling motion with his hand. Just like before, Akiza was lost as the time expired.

"Doughnut hole," Yusei replied once he could talk. Akiza looked confused at him as he sat down. "How was doing this a doughnut hole?" She made the sprinkling motion with her hands. Yusei shrugged and said it was for sprinkles. "You could have just done this," Akiza replied. She made a small hole with one hand. She tried to make another one around it with her other hand. "Oh," Yusei said as Akiza patted him on the shoulder. "It's all right Yusei."

For the rest of the game, Yusei was able to finally get Akiza some points. Still, he felt guilty, as they played the last round. "We won!" Ms. Izinski said happily, "Good game." Yusei and Akiza looked on in defeat, as Yusei felt as though he had weighed the team down. "It's almost time for some of the New Year's celebrations to start," Akiza noted, "Lets go watch!"

As they watched the TV, they saw some of the New Year's festivities in other areas and the news followed afterwards. As some other shows aired until they would come back to the celebration, everyone chatted some more and snacked on some food. "So, are you two going to kiss at midnight?" Martha asked and Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. "I...guess," Yusei slowly replied and Akiza smiled at him. As midnight got closer and closer, Akiza and Yusei thought about the upcoming kiss. They had never kissed at midnight, as it was done for people in love. The worst part was that it was going to be even more awkward with their parents in the same room. Finally, the TV started counting down.

"10...9...8..." People chanted on the TV. Everyone got up as they counted down. "3...2...1...Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered and Yusei and Akiza faced one another. They quickly put their arms around another and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips hung tight together, although the two of them felt a rush, and started to kiss a little more passionately. Before they could get their tongues involved, they heard Mr. Izinski clear his throat. Akiza and Yusei stopped kissing and turned to see the three adults staring at them. They felt embarrassed, because for the third time in as many weeks, a simple kiss had quickly turned passionate. They both looked away embarrassed and they both went towards their parents to wish them a Happy New Year. Afterwards, Martha and Yusei went to the door.

"Well, we'd best be heading off," Martha replied as they put on their coats. Since Yusei and Akiza had already kissed, they both waved goodbye to each other, and soon Martha and Yusei were out the door.

As Yusei went to sleep, he debated how he would say goodbye to Akiza this time. Obviously, it wasn't going to be as romantic and unexpected as last time. However, as he got dressed and ready the next morning, he remembered that he hadn't done something the whole time Akiza was here: he didn't hold her hand. Not on their date, the day she came over, not Christmas, and not the night before. They had already gotten used to hugging each other (although they still weren't the best when it came to kissing, as it still felt awkward to do in front of other people). Even though they held hands the night before they left, Yusei just wanted it to be a causal, normal (aka having their fingers intertwined), comfortable occurrence. Their last goodbye was rather formal and he wanted to refrain from that happening this time. So, he figured that his number one priority, when saying goodbye to Akiza, would be to hold her hand.

About a week later, it was almost time for Akiza to leave. Since Yusei had to work (unfortunately) he and Akiza only met a few times briefly at Akiza house. He usually stayed for a short period, but it was always in the presence of her parents. Like their first kiss, Yusei wanted it to be a special time, just Akiza and himself. He told her the second time, to come to his house the night before she left. Akiza said she'd be there at 7 and, she too, wondered how their goodbye would be.

'Will it be a really romantic night? Or will it be a little less formal?' Akiza wondered as she walked over to the Tops. Once she got up to the top level, she knocked on the door, where Yusei was waiting for her. "Come on in," he said with joy as he let Akiza inside. Akiza hung her jacket up and turned to him. She quickly put her arms around him, wondering if he was saving a kiss for later. To a little bit of her surprise, Yusei quickly followed her lead and gently placed his hand on her neck. He leaned forward and they shared a gentle kiss. They refrained from going much further, as they quickly leaned back. "Lets head over to the couch," Yusei said with a gesture. They both walked over and took a seat.

Instead of facing each other, they sat normally on the couch and looked forward. They sat in silence for a few moments and Akiza finally looked over at Yusei. His head was tilted downwards and he looked focused on something. Unknown to her, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her right hand laying on the couch. Less than a month earlier, he had been in almost the exact same situation. This time, however, there was no Martha or Mr. Izinski or anyone else to distract him. It was just Akiza and himself.

Yusei could tell that Akiza was about to start talking, so he decided he would have to make his move right now. He moved his hand towards hers and, unlike the last time, kept going until his hand touched hers. He slid his hand underneath hers, until his fingers could intertwine with hers. Akiza gasped when she felt his hand touching hers. Their hands were raised up a little bit and both of them saw what had happened. For a moment, Yusei was concerned. She wasn't responding at all to his actions. 'Oh no. Akiza doesn't want to hold my hand,' Yusei thought. As he finished his thought, he felt Akiza's fingers tighten their grip, and he watched as Akiza raised their hands up to almost eye level. She smiled at him and, for a moment, Yusei was stunned. It only took him a moment, before he smiled back.

They both looked at their hands and got use to the feeling of having their fingers intertwined. They both had long thin fingers and boney hands, as would be expected by their body types. Yusei figured that Akiza's hands would be silky smooth and sure enough they were. However, Akiza was surprised when she felt Yusei's hand and fingers as they were smooth and soft. 'I though his hands would be a little rough and dry,' Akiza thought, 'But they're smooth and gentle. Just like him.' After a few moments, Akiza and Yusei made eye contact again. Yusei knew that, since he was the one who started the situation, he would probably have to be the one to speak up.

"I...uh...just wanted to hold you hand," Yusei said with a hint of nervousness, "Because...we've never really gotten to do that before and I wanted...to uh...leave you with a good memory of me." Akiza blushed and then gave Yusei a quick peck on the cheek. "Well, that's very nice of you," Akiza said once she leaned back from the kiss. She then took her hand and wrapped her fingers around Yusei's right hand. She guided his hand towards her's and they held hands, side-by-side. No words needed to be said as they continued to smile at one another.

Their first time holding hands.

Their arms quickly got tired and they finally put them down to rest. Akiza was the one to speak up first. She felt rather nervous. "Yusei...I know we agreed not to see each other so much while I was here, but..." Yusei leaned forward. "Would it be all right to contact you a little more when I'm away?" Yusei smiled. "Of course Akiza. Just like the last time you left, I want you to contact me as much as you can. I want to make sure you're safe and I want you to know that I care about you." Akiza looked up and a bright smile re-appeared on her face. "Thank you Yusei."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, as they started to kiss. Yusei quickly leaned back after a moment. "Is it all right if we make out?" Akiza nodded and kissed him again. Yusei's mouth moved with hers, because they both wanted to kiss the same way as when Akiza had arrived. Both of their tongues got to taste the other, as they moaned and groaned with pleasure. There was also an undenying feeling lower in their bodies as well. Even though they were fully clothed and knew that they would never push things too far, they refrained from getting any other area involved besides their mouths. After they both retracted their tongues, they leaned back, and rested their hands on the couch. After thanking each other, they both looked down to notice that their hands were close to one another yet again.

Almost as if they could read minds, Akiza's right hand intertwined with Yusei's left once more, and they lifted them up together. They smiled confidently at one another. "When you're in Germany, just do your best," Yusei reminded her. Akiza nodded and her voice filled with confidence. "Don't worry Yusei. I will."

**A/N: I apologize for the short Chapter, but I have finals this week and figured a short Chapter is better than none.**

**Hope you enjoyed it and please review if you can!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12!  
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As soon as Akiza arrived back in Germany, she took a step inside her old apartment which still looked the same as when she left. Since the flight arrived at 10 at night, she decided to go to bed right away, to help her get use to the time change as quickly as possible. The next morning, after getting breakfast from the school's cafeteria, she went online to check her class schedule. Once there, she also found a pair of e-mails with one from her parents and one from Yusei. She smiled as she opened the latter one second and read how Yusei hoped that she arrived safe and sound.

"Don't worry Yusei. I'm okay," she wrote, "Thank you for being concerned about me and I'll be sure to see you soon!"

As the month went along, Akiza and Yusei kept their video conversations brief. They told each other about things that happened, like Akiza having an annoying kid in a class or Yusei hating a certain TV show. However, they avoided getting into a routine of seeing each other at the same time everyday and making things boring. They both kept in touch with the twins while they could and they both agreed that they could tell Leo was getting tired of staying in London. Although, he did not directly say it, the look in his eyes hinted that he wanted to go back to New Domino City, and try to visit everyone again. One day after school, Leo finally lost it.

Luna was sitting on the sofa, doing her homework. Leo was on the phone, talking to Yusei. "So Yusei, have things been getting better in New Domino City? I heard the winter's actually been pretty light on the snowfall." Yusei laughed. "Yeah, we haven't gotten the snowfall we're used to. How's London? Is the weather as nice as it is here?" Leo shook his head. "No! It's been terrible! All this cold weather and snow and rain! Ugh! It's been awful." Yusei just sweat dropped. "Well...I'm sure things will turn around soon," he replied as Leo continued to go on a rant. He checked his watch. "Well, I guess you'd better get going." Leo sighed. "Yeah, I've got some schoolwork to get done. See ya Yusei." They both said goodbye and Leo groaned as the screen shut off.

"Leo calm down. I'm sure everything is going to be fine. We just have to stay positive." Leo wasn't buying it. "But come on Luna! I wanna go back to New Domino City! The weather's great! Yusei's there and Akiza will be coming back during the summer! I want to go right now." Luna quickly stood up. "But you know what Mom and Dad did. We have to live here so that we can pay the bills and follow the contract. If we don't, then they could find out, and drag us back here. Plus, they might keep a much closer watch on us." Leo sighed. Yeah. I guess you're right." Luna put a finger to her chin. "It's too bad we can't pay the bills in advance." Leo's eyes widened and he ran up to his twin sister.

"Luna! You're a genus!" Leo said happily as he put his hands on her shoulders. Luna was confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Leo chuckled to himself. "We'll pay the summer bills in advance. That way, we can go to New Domino City and come back when the summer is over. Mom and Dad will never know the difference. Besides, it's not like Mom and Dad have checked on us anyways." Luna was a bit more skeptical. "I don't know," she replied a little nervously, "It's awfully risky." Leo patted her on the shoulder. "Come on sis! Wouldn't you want to see Yusei and Akiza in person again?" Luna nodded. "See! I knew you'd agree."

"But how will we pay for the bills?" Luna asked. Leo smiled. "I think I can think of a way." Luna was a bit surprised at how confident Leo was acting and was curious as to what his plan was.

Later, Leo and Luna were downstairs and waiting at the front desk. "Leo, why are down here?" Leo put a finger to his mouth and they waited a few moments. Then, a little bit on the heavier side, early 20 year old man turned and greeted them. "Hey Justin. What's up?" Leo asked. Justin chuckled. "Leo. My man." They gave fist bumps. "What do you need?" Leo leaned on the counter. "Can we pay you in advance for our rent?" Justin looked at him with a confused look. "Why would you want to do that Leo?"

Leo then explained how his sister and him wanted to go back home to New Domino City. "But didn't your parents sign a contract?" Justin noted. Leo nodded. "Yeah, but if we still pay the rent, we're still considered to be living there right?" Justin thought about it for a moment. "Technically...yes." Leo's eye grew wide. "So? Lets figure out how much it's going to cost and then we'll pay you for it." Luna looked at her brother and realized what was going on. "Wow Leo! That's a really good idea." Leo turned to his twin. "Hey! I may not be the smartest kid in school, but I'm certainly not the dumbest either." Luna gave him a hug and Justin said that he could work the number out within a couple of days. The twins thanked him and headed back upstairs.

A few days later, the twins met, and agreed to pay the rent in advance. Leo and Luna even threw in a few extra pounds just to make sure they had enough. Once they put the finishing touches on it, the twins wanted to tell both Yusei and Akiza about them returning the following summer. "No wait!" Luna said as Leo was about to pick up the video phone, "Lets surprise them!" Leo nodded and they avoided calling them, in hope of make it a surprise.

A couple weeks later, both Jack and Crow's turbo dueling seasons got underway. Jack took a somewhat surprising third after he lost in the semi-finals to the defending champion. During the post-duel interview, it was clear who was Jack's next target. "I'll get you for this! You hear me! Jack Atlas will be number one again very soon! You'll see!" Jack took his anger out in the next duel, clobbered his opponent in the third place match while giving up a measly 100 life points. His friends gave Jack encouragement over his social media page and Jack just replied to all of them with a simple "Thanks."

Crow, meanwhile, helped his team to a surprising 5th place finish in the opening team tournament. Going from 17th in the season finale to 5th was especially a stunner since they upset a couple of teams to get there. "Wow! I never thought we would get a Top 5 before," Chris said after their 5th place victory. He turned to Crow. "It must be because of you Crow!" Crow shook his head. "It's not because of me. It's because we're a team and we work well together." Chris, Crow, and Daniel all put their hands together in a circle and cheered as they lifted their arms up.

Later that night, Crow responded to his friend's comments and congratulations. Sure enough, Jack had to interrupt the line of comments with a little bit of bragging. "Well, I finished higher than you did," Jack commented, "3rd is better than 5th." Crow the fought back, by saying that at least he didn't threaten anybody after he lost. Soon, Jack and Crow argued back and forth as Akiza, Yusei, Leo, and Luna refrained from saying anything more. Sure enough, Martha commented on the social media. "Martha! What are you doing online?" Jack and Crow both wrote. Martha responded with a simple answer. "I was checking in and hoping you two would be congratulating each other, but I see that you two just cannot behave." That made Jack and Crow embarrassed as everyone else got a good chuckle out of it. They apologized to each and went on their way.

About a month later, it was about 3 o'clock in New Domino City. Yusei had the day off and he was sitting at home in the Tops. Back on the streets, a short, junior high aged kid was running down the sidewalk. He took a right into the tops and made his way up to the top level, where only two apartments were located. He rang the doorbell and Yusei went to open the door. When he did, he looked down to see the young man bended over, with his hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath.

"Dexter what are you doing here?" Yusei asked. He honestly hadn't kept in touch with any of the twin's Duel Academy friends and he was surprised to see him here. Dexter looked up. "Hey...Yusei..." he said out of breath. "Here, why don't you come inside and have a glass of water?" Yusei offered and Dexter came inside. He went and sat down on the couch as Yusei got him a glass of water. "Here," he said once he got the water and brought it over to him. Dexter thanked him and drank the water in a few gulps. "Ahhh," he said happily as Yusei sat down next to him. "So what brings you here Dexter?" Yusei asked. Dexter looked down and didn't seem very happy. "Well...you're the only one I can talk to right now," Dexter replied. Yusei was worried. "What do you mean?"

"You see, ever since Leo and Luna left, I've been...alone." Yusei's eyebrows lowered. "Alone?" he asked, "What do you mean? I thought that you had Bob, Patty, and Sly." Dexter shook his head. "Not anymore."

_Dexter Recalls_

It was the first day of school and Dexter was at lunch. He spotted Bob sitting at a table with another couple of kids that were a little on the bigger side. Dexter took a seat. "Um, excuse me," one of Bob's friends spoke up, "Are you on the football team?" Dexter shook his head. As much as he liked to look at the stats of the players who threw around the pigskin and watch it on TV, he knew that he was much too small to play. He turned to Bob. "Bob? Aren't you going to let me eat here?" Bob shook his head. "Sorry Dex. It's football players only." Dexter frowned as he got up. He looked around and spotted Patty nearby. He walked over to her.

"Can I sit here?" he asked as a bunch of girls talked in British accents. Patty and her friends laughed. "Sorry, but are your parents from the UK across the pond?" Patty asked. Dexter shook his head. "No." Patty shrugged. "Well then you can't sit here." She leaned forward and whispered to him. "Sorry Dex." Dexter sighed. "It's okay," he replied. He turned around and headed for a long brown table. He sat down, a few seats from other students, and ate by himself.

Later, Dexter was walking in the hall to his next class. He was only a couple doors away and he spotted Sly leaning up against a locker. "Hey Sly," Dexter said happily. Suddenly, two other kids walked over to them. "Hey Sly. Who is this nerd?" the bigger one with black hair asked. "He's nobody," Sly replied. He turned to Dexter. "You'd better keep it moving kid or you'll be late for class." Dexter looked down and walked the last few steps into the proper classroom.

_Dexter stops recalling_

"Well, they could have been a lot meaner," Yusei noted as Dexter stopped talking. It didn't cheer Dexter up at all. "Yeah, but things have become more and more distant between everyone. Patty's having fun with her British friends, Bob loves hanging out with the football guys, and I guess Sly hangs out with all the popular kids. Face it Yusei. I have no one to talk to." Yusei frowned and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yes you do Dexter." Dexter looked up. "You've got me," Yusei said as he pointed at himself with his thumb. Dexter smiled a little bit. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you." Yusei still wondered something. "Haven't you've been keeping in touch with the twins? After all, how did you know I lived here?" Dexter looked down again.

"Well, to be honest, we haven't stayed in touch at all. They told me about you moving here, before they left, but after that, I haven't spoken to them since." Yusei smiled. "Well, we could call them," Yusei suggested, but Dexter shook his head. "No. It's too late now. Besides, they probably have a bunch of British friends they'd rather hang out with." Yusei was a bit skeptical about that. "Uh...I don't really know if that's the case," Yusei replied, "I've talked to them a number of times and they seem to feel like outsiders." Dexter looked stunned at him. "Leo and Luna? They're two of the nicest people you could meet! How could they have trouble finding friends?" Yusei shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. Dexter sighed. "Well, I hope everything turns out well for them. I'm not sure if they want to come back here."

"Actually, I think they do," Yusei answered, "They really enjoyed it here. Sure London's a great place to live, but I get the feeling that they'll be back here before you know it." Dexter looked down. "But...would they want to talk to me again?" Yusei smiled. "Of course they would. If you want, next time I talk to them, I could tell them you said 'hi.'" Dexter shook his head. "Nah. It's okay," Yusei put a hand on his shoulder. "Dexter..." The two of them locked eyes. "If you ever need a friend talk to, I'm still here for you." Dexter smiled. "Thanks Yusei." Yusei nodded.

"So, you still keeping in touch with Akiza?" Dexter asked. Yusei nodded once more. "Yep. She's doing pretty well in Germany. In fact, she came back last winter break, and she'll be coming back in the summer as well."

"That's good to hear," Dexter replied, "You'll probably have a blast doing tons of stuff with her." Yusei chuckled. "Oh yeah." Dexter then asked Yusei a question. "Hey Yusei, would it be okay if...maybe sometime...the two of us do something together?" Yusei smiled. "Sure Dexter. Whatever you wanna do." Dexter fumbled his hands. "Well, I do have some video games at home...if you're ever interested."

"Sure thing Dexter. In fact, I'll come over Friday night. We'll order pizza and it'll be a blast." Dexter agreed and then checked the time. "Well, I'd better get home to do my homework. Thanks again Yusei!" He headed for the door as Yusei waved at him. "Sure thing Dexter! Anytime!" Dexter headed out the door and smiled all the way home.

Yusei kept good on his word and went over to Dexter's on Friday night. Dexter introduced him to the world of video games and Yusei was more than happy to play with him. Dexter only had sports related ones, but Yusei said that he was perfectly fine with that. Dexter informed Yusei that he had even been picked on by other kids and Yusei felt terrible. Still, Yusei gave him some encouraging words and told him not to let those other kids boss him around. Yusei even offered to go to the principal and tell him, but Dexter insisted that things weren't getting too out of hand. "All right," Yusei replied slyly, "But say the word and I'll call the school before you can say, 'Let's duel.'"

As the winter quickly turned into spring, the weather was not the only thing to heat up. Jack and Crow started seeing better results and Crow's team even got a victory at one of the tournaments (although some of the bigger teams decided to skip the event). As the team celebrated in victory lane, they gave each other high fives as photographers took pictures of them with the trophy. Crow checked his phone and saw that Jack got second in his event. "So, who's #1 now?" Crow asked and he was met with an outraged comment from Jack. Crow quickly put his phone away and went back to celebrating with his team.

Jack quickly responded the next week with a win and Jack had fun gloating it in front of Crow's face. The problem was that he did it during an interview afterwards, which made him even more upset. "Jack!" Crow yelled as he watched the replay of the interview, "I'm going to get you for this!" Their friends followed their results and congratulated them on their success as much as possible. However, they knew that Jack and Crow were probably more focused on what the other said more than anyone else.

Akiza was having another successful semester in Germany. Although she wasn't getting a perfect GPA, she reminded herself that Yusei did not want her to push herself too hard. She just tried to do her best and tried get a B on every assignment. Was she perfect? No, but a majority of the time she was. And that was just fine. Yusei was happy for her and continued encouraging her, so Akiza was happy. As it came close for her to return, the twins gave them both a surprise announcement.

"We're going to New Domino City!" the twins said happily to each of them over a separate video call. The twins were excited and couldn't wait to be reunited with them. Since Yusei had stayed in touch with Dexter, he suggested that they hold a reunion party, so they could get together with all of their old friends. "That sounds like a great idea!" Luna replied, "We'll get them all together and it'll be fun." She quickly set a date and asked Yusei to inform their friends about the party.

Yusei then made invitations and gave them to Dexter to hand out. Dexter felt a little nervous, as he went up to Bob at his lunch table. Dexter tried not to interrupt them, so he quickly tapped Bob on the shoulder. When he turned to him, Dexter handed him the invitation in a white envelope. Dexter quickly went and sat back down by himself. He saw Bob's friends giving him questioning looks and Dexter could make out that Bob was explaining who Leo and Luna were.

He then went up to Patty and he could tell where they were sitting a mile away, as their British accents were very noticeable. After he did a similar trick with Bob, all the girls encircled Patty, as she opened the note. They all quickly started gossiping and bugged Patty about who Leo and Luna were. Patty explained, but when they asked if they could come, Patty declined. They all asked why and Patty pointed to the bottom of the invitation. It said, "Only people who receive this invitation may come. NO OTHER PEOPLE ALLOWED!"

When it was time to give his invitation to Sly, Dexter knew he had a problem. Sly was with all the popular kids and walking up to them was a dangerous move. There was no telling what might happen. 'I've got to get Sly alone,' Dexter thought. The following day at school, Dexter was walking to the same class that made him run into Sly during the first day of school. Like the first day, Sly was leaning up against a locker with his eyes closed, trying to look cool. Dexter walked towards him, until the same two kids from before stopped him. "Hey! Why are you going near him?" the large, black haired one asked, "He's not your friend." Dexter quickly took out the invitation. "I just need to give him this invitation," Dexter replied, "It's from Leo and Luna." Sly opened his eyes and looked toward the three of them. 'Leo and Luna?' Sly wondered.

"Who's Leo and Luna?" the second kid asked. He was short and had red hair. "I know them," Sly said aloud and got in between his other two friends. He went up to Dexter and took the envelope from his hand. He opened it and sure enough, Dexter was right. "If you get a chance to talk to them, tell them I'll be there." Sly turned around and walked away. The other two kids chased after him, wanting to know more. Dexter just sighed of relief, knowing that the hard part was over.

Less than a month later, Akiza calmly and happily walked out of the school. 'Yes! Finals are over and now I get to go back to, not only Yusei, but Leo and Luna as well!'

**A/N: Leo, Luna, and Akiza are all heading back. How will the reunion party unfold? Plus, what happens when Akiza is told life changing information? It's all coming up soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13!  
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**A/N: This Chapter is the farthest I will go with a make-out scene.  
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As Akiza rode the plane home to New Domino City, she thought about all the summer things Yusei and her could do together. 'Lunches outside, maybe a picnic, squeeze in a duel.' But then Akiza realized that Yusei still had a job, which meant a lot of those ideas went out the window. 'Well, I guess I'll have to make the best of the weekends we have. Although, I'm sure my parents want me to spend some time with them. After all, that was one of the reasons they wanted me to fly back during my breaks.'

As Akiza got off, it was noticeably warmer as she made her way through the airport. All the snow was now melted and the grass was bright and green. She looked around at the terminal, trying to spot her parents. She walked past a few gates, until she spotted her mother's red hair and her father's familiar facial hair. She quickly turned her walk into a jog as she got closer to them. "Hey Mom! Hey Dad!" she exclaimed as she gave them each a hug. She even gave Martha a hug as well. "It's great to see you too Martha!" Akiza said as Martha wrapped her arms around Akiza very tightly. "Oh! I'm so happy to see you again!" Martha exclaimed, "Of course, I'm not the only one here either." Akiza looked to her right and spotted Yusei. "Yusei!" she said happily as Martha let her free of her grasp.

Akiza ran over to him and he quickly whipped out a batch of red roses. Akiza gasped in surprise, before smiling. "Welcome home Akiza," Yusei said softly. Akiza took them and they both stood there awkwardly, not really sure of what to do next. The three older people rolled their eyes and Akiza's father went over to tell them they had to go. Once they all got inside the limo, they headed off to the Izinski's where, as before, Yusei and Akiza were left alone. After Akiza put her flowers away, she went up to Yusei in the doorway.

"Well, what do we do now?" Yusei asked. Akiza looked at him with a confused look. "What do you think Yusei?" Yusei shrugged. "I don't know. Get something to eat." Akiza rolled her eyes and went up to him. She quickly put her arms around him and looked up at his sky blue eyes. "Oh, we'll eat all right." Yusei was now even more confused. "Akiza are you tired from your..."

Yusei didn't get to finish his sentence as Akiza's lips were quickly pressed onto his. Yusei quickly walked backwards until he hit the side of a wall. After a few moments, Akiza's tongue wanted to enter Yusei's mouth and he happily accepted. It was a few seconds later, that Yusei noticed that something was off. He could feel Akiza's hips starting to rub against his. It felt _really really good. _Yusei's hands moved down to her bottom and, without even thinking, he started to pinch it. It wasn't a tight pinch, as when someone is trying to hurt you on purpose. Instead, Yusei was gentle and, before he could even give Akiza any pain, he would let go.

It was then that Akiza not only realized what she was doing, but also Yusei. She quickly retracted her tongue and then lips. Yusei and Akiza stared at one another as Yusei took his hands off of Akiza's bottom. "I'm sorry," Yusei said quickly. "No. No. I'm sorry," Akiza said as she looked down. For the first time, both of them had done something physical, without the other's permission. Still, Akiza took most of the blame. If she hadn't gotten so excited, she wouldn't have started rubbing their hips together, and Yusei wouldn't have felt like touching her butt. "Yusei. I...don't know what got over me. I mean...I was just excited to see you and it's been so long since we've kissed. I just...lost control." Yusei frowned and took his right hand to raise Akiza's face.

"Akiza. You didn't lose control. What you were feeling is perfectly normal. Besides, are any of our clothes removed?" Akiza shook her head. "Are we lying naked somewhere?" Akiza shook her head again. "Right," Yusei replied, "So it's okay. As long as we're completely clothed, what we do is okay. We're not having sex and we're not losing our virginity. All right?" Akiza thought about it for a moment and then nodded slightly. Still, she was concerned about something else.

"Did...you enjoy what I was doing?" Akiza asked. Yusei was embarrassed by the question and was a little flabbergasted. "Well...yeah," Yusei admitted, "It did feel good. Were...you in any pain because of what I was doing?" Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei. It was really gentle and you didn't cause me any pain at all." Yusei bit his lip. "So...we both liked what was going on and we're not in any pain. Does that mean we have each other's permission to do it?" Akiza shrugged. "I give you permission if you give me permission." Yusei smiled. "Of course Akiza. But..." Yusei paused and felt a little guilty of asking the following question. "Can we keep going?" Akiza smiled. "As long as we keep our clothes on, then yes." Yusei chuckled and they went back to making out. Akiza's hips dug into Yusei's, giving them both pleasure as Yusei gently and cautiously touched Akiza's butt.

Once they both finished getting rid of their urges, they both leaned back, gasping for air. They smiled and hugged tightly, thanking the other for the session. They both quickly registered into their minds that they should make out more often. Once a moment of silence passed, they both looked at each other, wondering what to do next. "Should we watch TV?" Yusei asked. Akiza smiled. "Only if you keep your shirt on this time," Akiza said with a laugh and they both made their way to the sofa.

Their parents came in a few minutes later and cautiously looked inside. A baseball game was on TV and they breathed a sigh of relief that Yusei was still fully clothed this time. "So, when are the twins coming back?" Martha asked as she sat down next to them. "They'll be coming back in about a month," Yusei replied, "So we'll be sure to visit them when they arrive." Martha smiled. "Hmm. Speaking of when something is going to happen, when are you and Akiza going to go out on another date." Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. "Uhh..." Yusei said a little confused. Akiza smiled at him and Yusei figured that meant really really soon. "Next F...Friday?" Yusei asked in more of a question than a response. Akiza's eyes lit up and Yusei breathed a sigh of relief. Akiza's parents were happy and so was Martha.

As Yusei got ready for his date with Akiza, he didn't have to worry about how he looked as much. This was going to be a lot less formal than their first one and they weren't going to a fancy resturant. Still, Yusei wanted to look prepared and ready for when Akiza arrived. He asked for Martha not to come along, as he wanted to greet Akiza alone and by himself.

When the doorbell rang, Yusei quickly grabbed his flowers and opened the door. There was Akiza, standing in a red t-shirt and blue jeans. Not exactly the most elegant attire of all time, but Yusei still noticed that she had put time into her appearance. She had tiny red clip on earrings as well as her hair being just washed with a hint of hairspray. She also had on perfume, which Yusei could smell all night long and never get tired of it. Akiza smiled when Yusei handed over the flowers. She smelled them and thanked him with a brief hug and kiss. "Is it all right if I leave them here?" Akiza asked. Yusei nodded and quickly found a small container to put them in. They then headed off to dinner.

As they walked, Yusei wanted to hold Akiza's hand. But...something didn't feel right. He looked around and other couples were doing the same thing. He eyed Akiza's hand, yet refrained from putting his thoughts into actions. He just...couldn't do it. When Akiza and him were all alone, he felt confident and comfortable, but being out in public made him feel like a completely different person. He sighed and refrained from grabbing her hand. He decided that he could try again later.

Once they got into the family restaurant, they took their seats. After getting their drink and food orders, Akiza and Yusei looked around. There were a few tables with older people at them. They were smiling at each other and talking. "Aww! Isn't that cute?" Akiza noted, "Look at those two holding hands." Yusei quickly faced her again and tried to change the subject. "Yeah. How 'bout that?" he asked, "Anyways, the twins are hosting a reunion party. Are we going to go?" Akiza shook her head. "It's invitees only Yusei. Besides, they probably just wanna have some time with their group of friends." Yusei's face sunk. "Oh. Okay." Akiza giggled as she gently touched Yusei's hand. However, she refrained from actually holding it and instead gently glided her fingers against his skin. "Of course, we could do something together the day they have their party," Akiza suggested.

Yusei shot up in surprise. "Really?" he asked and Akiza nodded. "How about we go out for lunch or something. It'd be great to get you out of that stuffy office." Yusei nodded in agreement. "It's a deal. How about we meet up at the restaurant? We can go wherever you wanna go Akiza." Akiza smiled. "Okay. I'll think of a place and I'll get a reservation taken care of." Yusei noticed that their salads were coming and they quickly straightened themselves out.

Over the next few weeks, Yusei stopped by Akiza's house from time to time after work. As Akiza noted at their dinner, it was nice to get out of the office and spend time with his friends. Mr. Izinski asked Yusei if he would like to stay for dinner the first time he came over. Yusei was more than happy to and they ate a peaceful dinner that night. The next time he came over, Yusei accepted an invitation to stay later. Finally, as a third time rolled around, Yusei finally had to decline.

"I'm sorry Mr. Izinski, but I don't want my food to go bad at home." Akiza walked up to him. She had a slightly disappointed look on her face, as Yusei smiled at her. "Don't worry Akiza. I'll be back soon enough. Besides, we have our lunch to look forward too." Akiza's face brightened up. "Right. It'll be in about a week." Akiza's mother walked over. "Oh Akiza. I forgot to tell you that I also scheduled an eye appointment next week. It's been a while since you had one." Akiza smiled. "Thanks Mom."

As Akiza and her mother talked, Yusei thought to himself. 'When was the last time I had an eye appointment?' Yusei wondered. He then went back to listening in on the conversation. "Well. I guess we'll see you later Yusei." Yusei nodded. "Right. Thank you Mr. and Ms. Izinski. It's been fun talking to you." The senator smiled. "It's been good for us too Yusei. Thanks again." Akiza and Yusei turned to one another. They wanted to leave with a kiss and started to lean forward. However, they nearly stopped as soon as they started, as they both noticed Akiza's parents watching them. They both leaned back awkwardly.

"Well...I guess I'll see you later too Akiza," Yusei said with a sweat drop. "Yes...I'll see you soon too Yusei. Probably when the twins come back," Akiza said in awkward tone. "So...I'll see you at the airport," Yusei continued as he made his way to the door. "Okay. Bye," Akiza responded with a tiny wave. Mr. and Ms. Izinski looked at one another. "Did we do something wrong?" they both asked each other.

Sure enough, the twins came home on time just about a week later. Yusei and Akiza were waiting at the airport and were surprised when they saw them running towards them. "Leo! Luna!" Yusei said in surprise, "I thought your flight doesn't come in for another half hour." The twins smiled. "Our flight must have been on a super new engine Yusei!" Leo said excitedly, "Even the pilot was surprised how fast we got here!" Yusei laughed.

"You're full of energy just like always," Yusei said as he gave him a hug. Akiza gave Luna a hug and welcomed her home. "Thanks so much for coming you guys," Luna said with a cheerful smile. "Here. Why don't we take your bags?" Akiza offered as she took Luna's and Yusei took Leo's. "Are you sure?" Leo asked, "We don't want to be any trouble for you guys." Yusei brushed it off. "Nah! It's fine. You guys are probably tired from your flight. Lets go home and get you guys some rest. After all, tomorrow's your big reunion party." Leo and Luna froze.

"Oh no! We totally forgot!" Luna stated with fear. Yusei and Akiza turned around. "Don't worry about it," Akiza said, "We already got some pop for you guys and you can just order pizza." Leo and Luna smiled. "Well, it may not be perfect, but it'll have to do," Leo said as they made their way outside, "Because I'm..." Leo yawned. "Tired." Luna laughed and they made their way into a waiting cab.

The next morning, both the twins got up earlier much earlier than usual, since both were still use to their old routine. They both dressed in the same attire as the party before they left New Domino City, which was now almost a year ago. Leo wore his blue light jacket, black pants, and black undershirt. Luna wore her light blue shirt with a heart on it along with the yellow overcoat, pink hat, and a pair of green short shorts. They both looked outside, over the city, as they sun was rising. "It's been a long time since I've watched the sun rise," Leo noted. "Have you _ever_ seen the sun rise?" his twin sister asked, as Leo loved to sleep. "Uh, yeah, I guess you're right sis." Luna laughed and they continued watching, until the sun made it's way over the horizon.

A few blocks away, Akiza got up and went downstairs. "Today's my date with Yusei!" Akiza said excitedly as she sat at the table with her mother. "Yes and you'll be going to your eye appointment today too," her mother noted as she set a plate down in front of her, "I'll be going with you." Akiza nodded. "Right. So, we'll get that taken care of and then I'll be ready for my date." As Akiza ate, she remembered that the twins were having their party today as well. "I hope they'll be okay," Akiza said in concern. Her mother smiled. "Don't worry. I'm sure they'll have a great time. Come on. Let's get ready for your appointment."

Back at the twin's apartment, they were getting everything set up. There was a long table that would have the pizza and soda pop. There were a few chairs set up and a couple long sofas a short ways away. "Okay Leo! Everything should be all set," Luna announced as they looked at their setup, "Now all we need is the pizza and the guests." Leo headed for the bathroom and, a few minutes later, the door rang. "You can come in!" Luna called.

In came Dexter who had a big bouquet of flowers in his hand. Leo came down to steps to greet him as well. "Hey Luna!" Dexter said excitedly, "I got these for you and I hope they'll make the party a little more festive." Luna smiled. "That's very thoughtful of you Dexter." She took them from him. "Don't I get flowers?" Leo asked. "Umm...they're usually for a girls Leo," Dexter noted, "Do you want me to get you some _girl_ flowers?" Leo froze. "Um. No. That's all right." Dexter pulled something out of his pocket. "Here. I got you something as well." Dexter held it out for him.

"My Jack Atlas figurine! Where did you find it?" Leo asked as he happily took the figure from him. "I found it at my house. I'm not sure if I borrowed it or what happened. I'm sorry it took so long to find it." Leo waved his hand. "Aww. It's okay Dex. You found it now and that's all that matters." Luna went to put the flowers in a vase and then came back downstairs. As she did, Dexter couldn't help, but notice that Leo and Luna had changed since he had last seen them. They had both grown in height and Dexter felt as though they had matured as well, even if Leo was still his bubbly energetic self.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you guys," Dexter noted, "You guys have changed a lot." Luna turned to him, as Leo played with the figure. "Thanks. So have you Dexter." Dexter sweat dropped. Although he had grown in height as well, he still looked relatively the same. "Um...yeah," Dexter replied awkwardly.

"I'm sorry we didn't stay in touch very well," Luna noted as Leo put the action figure on the table. "It's all right," Dexter responded, "It's mostly my fault and I want you to know I'm sorry." Luna's face saddened as the front door opened again.

"Hey Luna! Hey Leo!" Patty said in her British accent. She was followed closely behind by Bob as well. "Patty! Bob! It's so good to see you two again!" Luna said as they started catching up. Dexter couldn't help, but feel a little awkward. Bob and Patty had been pretty cold to him at school, but as soon as Leo and Luna were in the room, everything changed. "Is Sly coming?" Patty asked. "He said he would," Dexter said as he joined in the conversation and, just like Dexter said, Sly came in a few moments later.

As Sly closed the door, he examined the twin's apartment. He had been here a couple of times before, but it had been a while since he had last visited. He looked over and saw everyone else smiling and talking to each other. Just like Dexter had done a few moments ago, Sly noticed that the twins had changed since their last encounter. Leo looked a little taller and so did Luna. Although, Luna's looked more noticeable, since most of her height probably was explained by her longer legs. With long legs and the fact that Luna loves short shorts, it made Sly look at Luna a bit differently. He found her...attractive. He slowly walked over to his old friends and they happily greeted him. "Hey. Long time no see," Sly said cooly.

Luna put her hands together. "All right. The pizza should be here any minute So, you can have some pop while we wait and then we can eat." Everyone cheered and they all grabbed some pop. As Luna had promised, the pizza arrived shortly afterwards. After getting them in order and saying grace, they all dug in. They sat in chairs and the twins talked about London and the differences in the Duel Academy's. For most of the conversation, the females talked a lot and the guys chimed in every now and then. Sly paid close attention to what Luna had to say and Dexter stayed noticeably quiet, although no one seemed to notice. He felt out of place, as everyone else had a story to tell about Duel Academy and their new friends. Even though the twins never really made any new friends, they had just enough with the two of them to stay in the conversation. Dexter finally excused himself to the restroom and stayed in for a while longer than he normally would. "I feel out of place," Dexter said quietly to himself, "Everyone else is having fun, but I feel like a third wheel." Once he was done, he went back downstairs. Instead of going to where the conversation was, he sat on a sofa, a ways away from everyone else.

Eventually, Luna stopped from laughing at a joke and noticed Dexter sitting by himself. She got up and walked over to him. "Hey Dexter," she said in a happy tone, "Why don't you come back and join us?" Dexter had a frown on his face. Luna was always so nice to him, but this was one time that even her kindness couldn't seek in. "I don't feel like it," he said as he hung his head. Luna frowned and sat down next to him. "What's wrong Dexter?" She put her left hand on his right shoulder. Dexter sighed.

"It's just that...I don't really have any friends to talk to." Luna was confused. "What are you talking about Dexter? You have friends right here." Dexter shook his head. "Not they're not," he replied, "Bob, Patty, and Sly never talk to me. You guys are off in London and I hate to bother Yusei." Dexter sighed. "It must mean than I'm a terrible friend." Luna quickly put her hand on his, which was sitting on his right leg. "That's not true Dexter." Dexter looked over at her hand and was embarrassed, not only by her touching his hand like that, but also the fact that he could also see Luna's tiny shorts and bare legs. After a brief moment, he looked up at Luna, as she was speaking.

"You are a very good friend," Luna responded as Dexter sat up to look at her, "In fact, out of all of our friends here, I know that both Leo and I missed you the most." Dexter was stunned. "R...really?" Luna nodded. "Dexter, you've been friends with Leo and I more than Bob, Patty, and Sly combined. We really missed seeing you at school." Luna added her left hand to join Dexter and her right hand. "I'm sorry that Leo and I didn't stay in touch with you, but I promise we'll try harder to make sure we stay in contact with you." They looked over at Leo, who was standing up and trying to explain something. "I know Leo's not here right now, so I'll just say it." They both faced each other. "You're one of our best friends Dexter and you have always been a really, really good friend. That is a promise." Dexter blushed as Luna smiled happily at him. She tilted her head and closed her eyes. Dexter felt his cheeks turn red hot and he looked down, to try to hide it. It caused him to see Luna's legs and shorts again, and he didn't want another awkward moment, so he looked back up again. Luckily, his face cooled down as Luna opened her eyes. She turned to her group of friends and saw Leo doing something weird. "Leo, what are you doing?" Luna asked as she stood up. Dexter tried to see what was going on as well.

Unfortunately, Luna blocked Dexter's line of sight. Once Dexter saw that he couldn't see Leo, he slowly panned down behind Luna and eventually came upon her legs and tiny shorts. His face heated up again, as he continued to stare at her. After a few moments, he saw Luna look over shoulder and he quickly looked away, embarrassed that he was checking out his best friend. 'Why am I doing this?' Dexter asked himself, 'Why am I looking at such a good friend like that?' He felt ashamed and upset. He was going through puberty, but he still felt guilty for looking at Luna as attractive like that. Luna had seen Dexter look away, but she wasn't upset and didn't think twice about it. She slowly walked over to the group again.

Meanwhile, Sly had fully gone through puberty and saw Luna in a attractive way too. He knew that she was, not only a friend, but a very cute one at that. He eyed her as she made her way to her chair. 'Only one person deserves to have Luna and that person is me!' Sly thought.

With Akiza, her mother and her were waiting in a small waiting area. Akiza had gotten her eyes dilated and Akiza couldn't help, but worry about how the exam was going. She honestly had more trouble with reading the letters than she could ever recall and this appointment was taking longer than expected. "I hope everything is all right," Akiza said nervously, as she wore sun glasses to protect her eyes. After a while of waiting, a female doctor led her to a room and they waited there for a male doctor to come in. When he did, they shook hands and, after running a few tests, he pushed a piece of equipment away from Akiza's eyes.

"Akiza. You're going to have to get glasses," he confirmed and Akiza's heart sank.

**A/N: Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoyed the Chapter.**

**Thanks for your views and reviews!  
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	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14!**

**A/N: Thanks for all the great responses and I'm glad that you're (hopefully) enjoying the story thus far.  
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Akiza looked down at her lap. Her concern wasn't about her eyes or how normal glasses wearing was. It was about what Yusei would think. Akiza had never worn glasses and she worried about how Yusei's opinion of her appearance would change She remained quiet in her seat, but it was clear that she was upset. Her mother went over to her and put a hand on her right shoulder. "It'll be okay," her mother said softly to her. Akiza couldn't hold her feelings in any longer. Tears started to pour out her now glasses needing eyes. The doctor looked sadly at her and tried to give her some encouraging support.

"If it's any consolation, many people will need glasses eventually. It's probably best to get use to them now than when you are older." Akiza looked over at him and her tears slowed down. "Is...is there a chance I could get contacts?" she asked. The doctor shook his head. "It would have to be a few years," he replied, "Plus you seem to have trouble getting things close to your eyes. I noticed that when I checked for glaucoma." Akiza went back to crying and the doctor felt bad that he had upset her even more. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to talk things over. When you're ready, I'll do some more tests to figure out what the strength of the lenses will be." He got up and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

Akiza sat in the room with her mother. All she could think about what how Yusei would react when he saw her.

_Akiza imagines_

Yusei walked up to Akiza, who had her back turned. "Hey Akiza," Yusei said in a friendly voice, "How's it going?" He put his hand on her shoulder and Akiza and turned around, with a new pair of glasses on. Yusei gasped. "You're not Akiza!" Yusei screamed. Akiza quickly tried to reason with him. "No Yusei! It's still me! I'm still the same old Akiza!" Yusei didn't want to hear it. "You're not Akiza!" he repeated. Yusei took the glasses and threw them on the ground. He stepped on them as hard as he could with his brown boots. "Akiza doesn't wear these like a nerd!"

Akiza got down on her knees to examine her broken glasses. Yusei turned around and started walking the other direction. "Yusei! Come back!" Akiza cried, "Come back!"

_Akiza stops imagining_

"Akiza. It's all right. I'm sure Yusei will understand. Come on. Lets go to the waiting area. The sooner we get this over with, the quicker you can talk to Yusei and explain it to him." Akiza shook her head as they walked out of the room. "But Mom! Yusei can't find out!" Akiza mother was confused as they sat down. "How will he not find out? You'll have to see him at some point." Akiza sighed. "I...just wanna do this myself," she replied, "I'll think of something."

Akiza's mother was worried. She didn't want Akiza to stop wearing the glasses when she was around him, especially since they'll spend tons of time together, both during her breaks and when she's back at school. She knew that she had to do something.

Back at the twin's party, things were beginning to wind down. Bob and Patty had left and Sly was just saying his goodbye to every. "Well, I'd better get going," Sly said calmly. He gave Leo a nod and gave Luna a quick wink. Luna saw what he did and blushed slightly, but didn't really understand why he did it. Once Sly was out of the room, Leo and Luna turned towards Dexter. "Well, I'd best be going too," Dexter admitted "When do you think the next time we get together?" Luna's face lit up. "How about next Tuesday?" Leo turned to her. "But Luna I..." Luna quickly stepped on her brother's foot. "Ow! My foot! My foot! My foot!" Leo said in pain as he lifted up his shoe and hopped on one foot. Dexter turned to Luna, who still looked bright and happy.

"I'd love it if you could come over on Tuesday! We could could go swimming in our pool, especially since it's suppose to be really hot outside. Would that be okay with you?" Dexter nodded. "Sure thing. That sounds like fun." Luna nodded. "Sounds good. I can't wait." Dexter smiled. "Thanks again for the party you guys. It was fun." He headed for the door. "See ya on Tuesday." Luna waved. "Bye Dexter."

Leo finally got his foot to stop hurting so much as he made his way over to his sister. "What the heck Luna! Why did you step on my foot like that? You know I already made plans with Bob and Patty on Tuesday. Why are you making plans with Dexter on Tuesday if you're going to be the only one here?" Luna shrugged. "Dexter and I have never really spent time together Leo. Plus, I was the one who talked with him about us still being good friends." Leo was confused. "When did you do that?" Luna giggled at her brother's inattentiveness. "When you were doing something really weird," Luna pointed out. Leo thought for a moment, before recollecting. "Oh yeah! That was my Turbo Dueling explanation. When Jack and Crow won those duels last week, it was so cool that I had to tell everyone about it." Luna rolled her eyes. "Leo. You're so goofy sometimes. I don't know what I'd do without you." Leo smiled proudly and they both started to tidy up the room.

Back at the eye doctor's, Akiza and her mother were waiting yet again. They still hadn't gotten to leave yet, due to Akiza needing to take a couple more tests, and it was getting close to the time Akiza wanted to meet Yusei for their date. Sure enough, Akiza's phone rang, and she looked at who it was. It was Yusei and Akiza became really scared. "Here Mom. Answer this one for me!" Akiza said as she handed her phone to her mother. Ms. Izinski looked confused. "Why me Akiza? Just tell Yusei that you're at the eye doctor's getting new glasses." Akiza shook her head as the phone continued to ring. "No way! You take it and just say that there were a lot of appointments or something. I can't let Yusei know that I'm getting glasses!" Akiza's mother turned crossed as the phone stopped ringing. "Akiza. You've _got _to tell him at some point. Why not do it now and get it over with?" Akiza shook her head as the phone started ringing again.

"Just take it mom and tell him there was a back up of appointments," Akiza said as her mother quickly got up and ran into a nearby hallway. The other people in the waiting room were giving them mean looks, because they had to listen, not only to their disagreement, but also Akiza's phone constantly going off. As Ms. Izinski stood in the hallway, she looked at the phone, which had Yusei's confident smiling photo on it. She took one last look at Akiza and then answered the call.

Later that night, Akiza got a call back from Yusei. "So I heard that there was a backup of eye appointments," Yusei said in a cheerful tone. Akiza sweat dropped. "Oh yeah," she lied, "It was very crowded today." Akiza bit her lip, hoping Yusei wouldn't be too upset over them missing their date. "It's all right," Yusei replied, "I know how busy you doctors can get sometimes. Listen, how about we just meet next week at the same time. Sound good?" Akiza was worried. It would be a few days until Akiza's lens would come in and she decided, while they were waiting, that their date was probably the best time to both show and tell Yusei. "Um...could we wait a few days. I just wanna make sure that everything gets organized." Yusei's voice showed no signs of anger. "That's perfectly okay Akiza. I want to make sure you get everything straightened out. So, I'll hear from you soon?" Akiza smiled. Yusei was so caring about her. "Sure. I'll call you once I get set. I'll talk to you later. Okay. Bye." Akiza took a big sigh of relief once she hung up. Now all she had to do was worry about when her lens came in and when she could get them put in.

The following Tuesday, Akiza got a call from the eye clinic. Akiza scheduled to come in on Friday. She quickly called Yusei afterwards, with one small request. "But...do you think we could meet at the park before our date instead of the resturant? There's something I need to talk to you about." Yusei was surprised, but welcomed the idea. "That sounds good, because I need to talk to you as well." Akiza was stunned. "Oh. Do you want to talk about it now?"

"Nah. It's something that needs to wait until then." Akiza was worried. Yusei had opened himself up to her since Akiza had left for Germany. Of course, there was also a lot of things that she didn't know about him and many things she wondered about. So, maybe it was something very personal for him and that's why he was waiting. Akiza didn't know, but she thought that she could try one more time before her date, to get it out of him.

Back with the twins, it was the day that Luna had scheduled for Dexter to come over. Leo had asked if he should change plans with Bob and Patty, but Luna declined. She insisted that Dexter and her should get to know one another better. Leo was a bit confused, but decided that his sister was smart enough to know what she was doing. As he said goodbye, he offered one last chance if she wanted to change her mind. Luna turned it down and Leo happily went on his way. An hour later, Dexter rang the doorbell and Luna let him inside. "Hey Luna! I've got all my stuff." He showed her a bag with his swimming supplies. "Where's Leo?" Luna smiled.

"He already made arrangements with Patty and Bob. So, it'll just be me and you today." Dexter was a bit surprised. "Um...okay. Are we still planning on going swimming?" Luna nodded. "You bet. You can go in the bathroom to change. I'll be out in a little bit." Dexter nodded and headed for the bathroom. As Dexter changed, he really didn't look at himself any differently. He was just a regular looking guy, kind of like Yusei, only shorter and obviously thinner. He didn't really think about how he looked in comparison to other guys either. After putting on some sun screen and goggles, he grabbed his towel and headed outside. Luna wasn't ready yet, so he just decided to jump in the pool. He put his foot in and it was noticeably cold. He then took a step back and cannon balled in. He stood up and shiver, as the water was freezing cold, as he expected. "I've got to swim around," Dexter said out loud to himself and he quickly moved around the pool. He soon heard a door close and he stopped to see Luna coming outside.

Luna came over in a light green 2-piece swimsuit. Luna smiled at Dexter, before jumping in. When Luna came up, she turned to face him. "So, do you think I look okay in this?" Dexter shrugged. "You look fine Luna. I don't see anything wrong with it." Luna smiled. "Good, because this is the first time I've worn it." She turned towards the other end of the pool. "Come on. Race ya to the other side." Luna quickly started swimming. "Hey! No fair! You started first!" Dexter cried as he swam after her. Neither one were fantastic swimmers, but Luna's head start helped her beat Dexter to the other side. "That was fun," Luna said once Dexter caught his breath, "Race you to the other side." Dexter looked on through his goggles. "You're on!" he replied and this race was much tighter.

Luna was just barely ahead of Dexter, when he spotted the wall. 'I lost,' Dexter thought sadly and he waited for his hand to hit the wall behind Luna's. However, as Luna stood up victoriously, Dexter's hand remained in place, and it soon made contact with Luna's butt. Dexter looked up and saw where his hand was. He quickly took it off as he stood up. After he gasped for air, he quickly said, "I'm sorry!" Luna had felt his hand and looked at Dexter's guilty face. "It's all right Dexter. It was an accident." Dexter wasn't convinced. "You sure?" Luna nodded. "Yeah. Everything's fine Dexter. Don't worry about it." Dexter smiled. "Thanks Luna," he replied and he quickly spotted a beach ball near the pool. "Hey! Could we play with that beach ball?" Luna looked to where he was pointing. "Sure thing! I'll go get it."

Luna pulled herself out of the pool and walked carefully over to the ball. As she turned around, Dexter got a better look at Luna. 'She looks cute in that suit,' Dexter thought, 'But there's no way I would say that to her face.' Luna hopped back in and they started playing with the beach ball.

Once everything was over with, Luna and Dexter went inside. "You can take a shower here if you'd like," Luna suggested. Dexter thanked her and they both hit the separate bathrooms. Once he was finished, Dexter sat on the couch, until Luna came out. "I'd better be going," Dexter said as Luna made her way downstairs. Luna's face saddened a little bit. "Are you sure? You could stay here for lunch." Dexter shook his head. "It's all right," he replied, "Thanks so much though." They headed for the door. "I had a great time Luna and I hope that we can do this again sometime, maybe even with Leo too." Luna nodded. "That sounds good Dexter. Thanks again!" They said goodbye and Dexter headed off.

As he made his way onto the warm streets of New Domino City, Sly just happened to be walking across the street from the Tops. He spotted Dexter leaving the Tops and he quickly crossed the street at a nearby stoplight. As Dexter walked, he heard a voice call to him. "Dexter!" Sly shouted. Dexter turned around. "Oh. Hey Sly," Dexter greeted him, "How's it going?" Sly was catching his breath. "Hey...I was just wondering what you were doing at the Tops." Dexter smiled. "I was visiting Luna."

Sly's face became stunned. 'Luna!' Sly screamed in his head. "What were you doing with her?" Sly asked aloud. "We went swimming," Dexter answered, "It was fun." Now Sly was _really _curious. "What was she wearing?" The smile Dexter had left his face. "What do you mean what was she wearing?" Sly mentally rolled his eyes. "What kind of swimsuit did she have?" he clarified. "Oh, a two piece," Dexter replied without much emotion.

Sly's mouth fell a bit. 'A bikini?' he thought. Now Sly _really_ wanted some answers. "So...how did she look?" Dexter shrugged. "She looked fine." Sly's eyes narrowed. "When you say fine, do you mean fine or _fine?"_ Dexter shrugged. "She looked fine," he replied, choosing the less suggestive one. Sly was about to rip his hair out and he turned around to avoid having Dexter see his angry expression. 'She's wore a bikini and he's not even noticing her!' Dexter was curious as to why Sly looked upset. "Why did you wanna know?" Dexter asked, "Was there something important that I needed to know?" Sly turned back around and put his hands behind his back. "I was just curious," he replied and laughed awkwardly. Dexter shrugged. "Well...I've got to go. Great talking to ya Sly." Sly waved. "It was good talking to you too."

When Dexter was out of sight, Sly turned around and smiled to himself. 'If Luna's not afraid to show Dexter some skin, I'm sure she wouldn't mind showing some to me. But how do I ask her out?' Sly looked around and a bus whizzed by, with a movie advertisement on it. "That's it!" Sly said aloud and he raced on home.

On Thursday, Akiza decided she had one last chance to get whatever Yusei had to say to her out in the open. She didn't care if it was good news or bad. She wanted to be done with it, so that she could show him her new look. She called him on a video chat, while he was at work. Yusei happily clicked on it and smiled when he saw who it was. "Akiza," Yusei said with excitement, "How are you?" Akiza forced a smile. "I'm good. I just wanted to know if you wanted to tell me about your little secret that you're keeping from me." Yusei shook his head. "Sorry Akiza, but I can't tell you. The only time I can is tomorrow when we meet in the park." Akiza's face saddened as Yusei grew a smile on his face. "Of course, if you tell me_ your_ secret then I'll tell you mine," Yusei replied slyly. Akiza shook her head. "No way Yusei. I'm waiting until tomorrow." Yusei laughed and Akiza enjoyed getting to hear it. "Well...it was worth a try. Did you get the reservation re-booked for tomorrow?" Akiza nodded. "Yep. So I'll meet you tomorrow at two." Yusei smiled and they said goodbye.

The next morning, Akiza yawned as she got up. In order to get her glasses fitted in time, she was going to go to the clinic, with her mom, when it first opened at 8 o'clock. Akiza dragged herself to the kitchen and quickly ate her bowl of cereal. Her mother and Akiza quickly headed for the eye clinic and they arrived a few minutes early. Once they got inside, they told them that they had arrived, and they had to wait for the doctors to cut and make sure that the lenses fit the frames. Akiza had a selected a red colored frame that matched her hair color. They weren't going to be bifocals lenses, but Akiza still worried that they were going to make her look dorky. After getting the lenses cut and in place, they then made sure that they fit Akiza properly. After getting them adjusted and cleaned off, they put them on her one last time. Akiza turned to look at herself in the mirror. To be honest, she didn't look too bad. But of course, that was her opinion, not Yusei's. Akiza's mother gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry Akiza. You look great. I'm sure Yusei will love it." Akiza sighed. "Yeah. I hope so," she said sadly. She got up and they headed for the exit. As Akiza rode home with her mom, she kept thinking about the park and seeing Yusei there. She wondered what he had to tell her and if it would break their relationship. When they got home, they had some time until they met up. Akiza kept looking at the clock. Every minute closer made her feel sick to her stomach. She couldn't eat any lunch, something Akiza rarely did. She finally announced she was heading for the park. Her mother kissed her one last time and told her everything will be all right. Akiza walked to the park, since it was only a short ways to the restaurant from there. She sat down on a bench next to a tree. She looked away from the direction that Yusei was most likely to come from, and adjusted her new glasses a bit.

Finally, it was two o'clock. Akiza checked her watch and knew that the time was near. She heard someone walking close to her and then stop. "Well. It's nice to see you again Akiza," a familiar voice said cheerfully. Akiza took a quiet deep breath and looked over her right shoulder. She noticed something was different and she forced herself to turn even more, to get a better look at Yusei.

Akiza was stunned to see that, he too, was wearing glasses. Akiza stood up. "Yusei? What are you doing?" Yusei just smiled at her with his frames that were the same black color as his hair. "What? I'm wearing my new glasses." Akiza folded her arms looked at him in a sarcastic disbelief. "Oh yeah. You just _happened _to get glasses the same time I did." Yusei chuckled. "Yeah. Can you believe it?" Akiza couldn't stand it anymore and quickly took the glasses from his face. "Hey!" Yusei in a surprised tone as Akiza quickly examined them. "They're are probably fake," she concluded, "They might not even have glass." Akiza put her finger on the lens, but she was stopped by glass. "Hey! I just washed those," Yusei noted, "Please don't smear them all up!" Akiza continued to look at them. "They could still be those fake ones sold at the mall," Akiza stated and looked at Yusei. "They're real Akiza," Yusei insisted.

"Yeah right," Akiza said and put the glasses on. Suddenly, her clear vision turned fuzzy. "Whoa!" Akiza said in surprise. "See?" Yusei replied knowingly and then took the glasses from her. Akiza was absolutely stunned as Yusei put the glasses back on. "How is it possible that you got glasses the same time I did?" Yusei then clarified it for her.

"I haven't gone to the eye doctor for a couple years," Yusei responded. "What doctor?" Akiza asked. "Well Dr. Schmidt of course," Yusei replied, "But, since I get really good insurance with my job, he recommended that I go to a regular eye clinic. He suggested that I might need a second opinion." Akiza was confused. "A second opinion?" Yusei nodded. "Yeah. He thought I needed glasses, but he doesn't sell them directly. So, he recommended going to the same eye clinic that you go to Akiza." Akiza was baffled. "Then how come I never saw you there." Yusei paused for a moment. "Well...you see...when your mom told you that you had an eye exam, I remembered that I needed to get one. So, I managed to get one from Dr. Schmidt the next day. When he told me to go to your eye clinic, I asked your mom what day you were going, because I was afraid to tell you I needed glasses. I even payed extra so that the lenses and frame would be express shipped. That way, I could get them before we met up last week. Unfortunately, they arrived the same day as your exam, so I didn't get them until afterwards. I didn't wear them when we talked, because I was afraid of what you would think."

"So, you didn't tell me, because you were scared of what I would think?" Yusei nodded. "Kind of like how you didn't want to tell me that you needed glasses." Akiza's eyes grew wide. "You...you knew?" Yusei smiled. "Yes Akiza. Your mother told me everything." Yusei's voice was calm and gentle, but Akiza quickly grew upset. "She told you? Oh my gosh! I'm so embarrassed! You're probably upset at me for lying to you!" Yusei shook his head and quickly wrapped his arms around her middle. Luckily, it was the middle of the day, so there weren't many people around and no one was paying attention to them. "It's okay Akiza. I think you look great. It really brings out your eyes. Those big brown eyes, which I find to be beautiful." Akiza blushed and looked down. "You're just saying that." Yusei shook his head. "No. I mean it Akiza. You're eyes really shine with them on and I think it's great that you're showing off such a beautiful part of you." Yusei paused to smile at her. "You look wonderful." Akiza blushed again and finally realized that Yusei meant what he was saying. "Well, I think you look very handsome Yusei," Akiza replied, "Your glasses really bring out your eyes and I really enjoy how they show off their sky blue color." Yusei and Akiza looked around. Once they saw no one was watching, they kissed each other on the lips.

"So, we agree that we like each other's new look?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. "So, what was the big news you wanted to tell me?" Akiza asked with a hint of nervousness. Yusei chuckled. "Well...having to wear new glasses," Yusei admitted, "Why? What was your big news?" Akiza blushed. "The...exact same news, only with me having to wear glasses." They both looked at one for a moment, before laughing. "That sounds good to me," Yusei replied as they finished laughing, "Now, do you wanna head over to the restaurant?" Akiza nodded and they let go of one another.

As they walked to restaurant, both of them couldn't help, but look over at the other's new look. For Akiza, she really enjoyed seeing how handsome Yusei looked with his new specs and she agreed that it made him look more attractive. For Yusei, as if it was even humanly possible, he was finding Akiza even more attractive than he did before. Her glasses looked really good on her and made her look very beautiful.

"So, are you thinking about getting contacts?" Akiza asked. Yusei thought about it. "You know, I've though about it, but if you really like me wearing glasses, then I think I'll keep them. I really enjoy wearing them. How about you?" Akiza smiled. "Well, I think you're very attractive in them Yusei, so I hope you'll keep wearing them." Yusei smiled after hearing that. "As for me, I think I'll try contacts down the line, but so far, I don't mind wearing glasses at all." They had quickly made their way over to the restaurant and they decided to dine outside on the patio. As they talked and ate, both of them couldn't help, but stare into each other's eyes, enjoying their new attractive look in glasses.

**A/N: Thanks so much for your support and reviews! I really hoped you enjoyed this Chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15!  
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**Thanks for all the responses and here's another installment!  
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As Yusei and Akiza made their way back outside from their date, they started heading for Akiza's house. "Man, it sure is hot outside," Yusei noted as he wiped his forehead. "Sure is," Akiza replied. Yusei looked down the street, as a few people were drinking reusable bottles of water. "Hey Akiza, does your family have a pool?" Akiza nodded. "Sure do. A nice big one. Of course..." They stopped at a stoplight and Yusei turned to Akiza. "Of course what?" Yusei asked. Akiza looked down nervously. "I'm...not the greatest when it comes to swimming." Yusei laughed and pulled Akiza close for only a brief moment. "It's okay Akiza. Neither am I." Once the light turned green, they started walking again.

"Did Martha teach you how to swim?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. "Yep. There was actually a lot of education that she had to do, in order to run the orphanage." Akiza looked down sadly. "I'm...sorry you never got the education I got Yusei." She looked up at him with a gloomy look. "I...hope you're not mad that I'm going to college and you're not." Yusei shook his head. "I'm not mad at all Akiza. I may not have gotten to go to college or graduate from a public school like you, but Martha still home schooled us a high school level education. Plus, during your last year at Duel Academy, we worked and learned together on your extra hard, college level classes. It was as if I was a student with you. In fact, if you ever think a general course might be too difficult, you could take it online, and we could do the work together. After all, two heads are better than one." Akiza laughed. "Thanks. That sounds great Yusei." Yusei smiled, but Akiza remembered what happened the last time they worked together. Although Yusei and her got to spend time and learned together, Yusei ended up taking a bigger interest into his Duel Runner. She remained quiet until she changed the subject to something else.

"How did you get your job as a scientist anyways?" Akiza asked, "I mean, I was surprised when I heard you got named as head scientist, since you never got an education for it." Yusei scratched the back of his head and twirled his hair on his pointer finger nervously. "I...just got it," Yusei lied and then laughed awkwardly. He knew that there was much more to the story, but he figured it would be better for a later time.

Once they got to Akiza's house, they looked around to make sure no one was watching. They grabbed hands and smiled at one another, still admiring their new glasses. "Thanks for the date Yusei and thank you for enjoying my new look." Yusei nodded. "Thanks. I feel the exact same way Akiza." Akiza closed her eyes and giggled to herself. They looked around one last time and kissed one another on the lips.

"So how was your date?" Akiza's mother asked as the door quickly opened, interrupting their kiss. The two of them quickly broke off their kiss and also let go of their hands. They both looked awkwardly at her. "Oh! Did I break up a moment between you two?" Akiza's mother asked nervously as she put her hand over her mouth. "Uh..." Akiza and Yusei moaned as they looked at one another, "No." Akiza's mother smiled. "Oh good! Because I just wanted to take a picture of you two in your new glasses." Akiza and Yusei got a little closer on the doorstep and Akiza's mother took a few shots.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later Akiza," Yusei replied once they were free from posing, "I'll call you if there's a hot day coming up." Akiza nodded. "Sounds good to me." She then gave Yusei a wink and he looked curiously at her as she shut the door. "What did that mean?" Yusei asked as he walked down the steps.

Across town, Sly was also checking the forecast as well as the movie times. He wanted to take Luna to a movie as well as have them go swimming afterwards. He eyed next Sunday as a prime time for him to do both. The weather would be a scorcher and it would also be a good time to catch an afternoon flick. He looked at the closest theater downtown and what was playing. "A musical...no. A romance one...no. A scary movie..." Sly thought about the last one. "That sounds good," he decided and clicked on what was showing. He quickly found one called "The Door." Sly then read the description:

A scary movie involving a young couple and a mysterious door. When opened not only do strange things start to happen, but also weird things and creatures appear. Rated PG-13. Starring: Jack Cramble, Molly Short, and Derek Leevy.

Sly smiled. A scary movie would be the perfect date to take Luna. He had talked to his friends about a similar topic and this is how it hopefully would go.

_Sly Imagines_

Sly and Luna were sitting side-by-side in the movie theater. People screamed and jumped as the contents of the movie frightened them. Luna yelped and quickly hanged onto Sly's arm. Sly turned to her. "Are you okay Luna?" Sly asked. Luna looked towards the screen. "Just a little scared. That's all." Sly smiled and put his arm around Luna, pulling her in close. "Don't worry Luna. I'll be here to protect you." Luna's eyes lite up. "Really Sly?" She leaned in closer. "You're my hero." Sly rolled his eyes. "I know," he replied confidently. They continued watching the movie as they stayed very close to one another.

_Sly stopped imagining_

"If I can get her to that movie, she'll be in the bag," Sly thought, "Not to mention I'll get to see her in a swimsuit as well." He quickly got on the phone and dialed Luna's number. Luna picked it up on one ring. "Oh, hey Sly," she answered as she saw a big picture of him on the screen. "Hey Luna. Would you be okay seeing a movie next Sunday?" Luna looked curiously at him. "A movie? I don't know of anyone that I want to go see." Sly smiled. "Don't worry. We can pick one once we get there. I hear a lot of them are fantastic." Luna was still a little nervous. "You sure?"

"Absolutely. Besides, they'll be some really good ones coming out next week. We can pick one of those, since we might not know much about them. It'd be a good surprise." Luna smiled. "All right. Sounds like fun. It's been a while since I've gone to see a movie. What time do you wanna meet up?" Sly thought for a moment. He wanted it to be early enough that they could still go swimming afterwards. "How about an early afternoon one? That way, we can go over to your house afterwards. We could go swimming or something." Luna nodded. "All right. Sounds like a plan. I'll talk to you later Sly. Okay. Buh Bye." Luna hung up.

"It sure is nice of Sly to wanna take me to the movies," Luna said once the phone was turned off. She heard her stomach rumble and decided to get something to eat. With Sly, he cheered once he no longer saw Luna's face. "Yes! My first date! I know this is going to be awesome!" Sly then called his friends to tell them the good news. "Is she like good looking or something?" one of his friends asked. Sly bit his lip. "Well, she's still growing, as many of us are. However, I can already tell that she's going to be pretty cute. She's going to have some long legs, I'm sure and, best of all, she's got a love obsession with short shorts." Sly's friends smiled. "Slllllly! _You lu_cky _dog!_ How'd you manage to pull that one off?" Sly smiled proudly. "I've just got all the moves." His friends laughed as Sly felt proud that he was going to get his first and hopefully _only _girlfriend.

As the days went along, Yusei noticed that Sunday was going to be blazing hot as well. He quickly called up Akiza and was going told her what he had found. "Could we do it on Sunday?" Akiza asked before he even informed her of what he found. "Oh! So you saw the weather too?" Akiza nodded. "Do you meet at my house around 2 or so?" Yusei nodded. "That sounds good Akiza. I hope your parents don't mind me coming over." Akiza gave Yusei a knowing look. "Oh don't worry about them," she replied, "They don't mind at all. We'll have fun and you can even stay for dinner." Yusei's eyes lit up. "Really? That sounds good to me Akiza. I haven't talked with your parents for a while, so I'm sure I'll be there for a few hours." Akiza's voice sounded a little skeptical. "Oh yeah. A few hours." Yusei could tell by her tone of voice something was up.

"Don't your parents like talking to me Akiza? Have I done something wrong?" Akiza shook her head and started talking really quickly. "No Yusei. They love having you over and talking and all that stuff." She then laughed awkwardly and Yusei was confused. "Akiza. Is something wrong?" Akiza shook her head. "No no! Everything's good. Gotta go!"

"Wait! Akiza!" The screen turned black. Yusei was confused. First the wink before he left last time and now this. Why was Akiza acting so strange? Was this some sort of surprise? After all, many times people act strange when there's a surprise going on. Even so, Yusei became worried that Akiza might be going out of her way for him. 'Maybe it'll just go away,' Yusei thought.

But it didn't go away. It kept weighing in the back of his mind that something was up. He started getting ready for Akiza's Sunday morning and started packing his black swim trunks and a large towel. He even bought a travel sized shampoo and conditional, because he hated to use Akiza's stuff. As he looked around once he was done, he finally convinced himself that Akiza did have a surprise in store for him. Yusei started digging in his closet, looking for something. He smiled once he found what he was looking for. "Found it!" Yusei said happily as he picked up a camera. If Akiza was going to surprise him, it was only right to have a camera to capture the moment. He smiled as he added it to his bag.

At the twins' apartment, the doorbell rang and Luna ran to get it. "Hey Sly!" Luna said happily as Leo came over. "Hey," Leo said rather coldly. Leo always had a problem with how Sly was sometimes cold to their group of friends. To him, if anyone was to leave the group or do something sneaky, it would be Sly. However, for one reason or another, Sly was still in their group of friends and they still got along.

But today, Leo was _extra_ suspicious of Sly. He didn't like having his sister on a date with him and wanted to be there to protect her. When Luna and Dexter had date a couple weeks ago, he didn't mind as much, because he knew and trusted Dexter a lot more. As Luna and Sly laughed after Sly made a joke, Leo narrowed his eyes and got closer to them. "Okay Sly, here are the rules: no kissing, no hugging, no touching her "special" area, no butt touching, but most importantly no fist bumps!" Luna frowned.

"Leo, relax! This is Sly we're talking about! Not some random guy on the streets. He's not staring at me like some creep!" As Luna scolded her brother, Sly noticed that Luna was wearing a red t-shirt and tiny jean short shorts. He couldn't help, but find himself attracted to her, even if he didn't know how Luna felt about him. He watched as Luna told Leo what they were doing. "Well what movie are you seeing?" Leo asked. "We're deciding when we get there," Luna replied. Leo rolled his eyes. "That's stupid! Why would you go to the movie theater without knowing what movie you're going to see?" Luna shrugged. "It'll make a good surprise. Now, Sly and I have to go otherwise we'll be late for the movie." Luna headed outside the apartment, next to Sly in the doorway. "Have fun Leo! See you later." Luna and Sly ran off as Leo was still upset over Luna going out with Sly.

As Luna and Sly walked to the movie's, the sun burned down on them in the scorching heat. Despite the high temperatures, Sly pulled Luna close to him. Luna was surprised by the action, but didn't mind it too much. A few people gave them a look and a couple of older people smiled at them. With just their luck, they happened to be passing the street Dexter's apartment was on. Dexter himself was sitting on a bench and noticed Luna and Sly walking at the end of the block. 'Isn't that Sly and Luna?' Dexter wondered and he quickly got up. He ran down the street, wanting to catch up to them.

Suddenly, Dexter stopped and watched them walk a ways. 'Wait! They might be going somewhere! Maybe I should follow them and see where they are going.' Dexter felt his guilty conscious start to grow. 'But...spying on them is wrong. You shouldn't do it!' Dexter then saw Sly's right arm around Luna and how close his hand was to her butt. Dexter was jealous. He remembered how embarrassed and shy he was when he accidentally touched Luna's bottom. But Sly was so confident looking and he didn't seem phased by where his arm and hand were. "So, you like wearing these tight short shorts?" Sly asked. Luna nodded. "Yeah," she replied nervously. She could feel Sly's hand and arm and wasn't used to having them so close to her person areas. Luckily, the movie theater was very close and they stopped as they looked a board with the movie's listed on it. Dexter ran up to a nearby bush and listened in on their conversation.

"I wanna go inside, but I don't wanna hold up the line," Sly said, "What movie sounds good?" Luna looked up. "I don't know. I wonder what everyone else is seeing." Another young couple walked past them and went inside. "Oh! The Door is going to be fantastic!" the girl said as she held the door for her boyfriend. Sly's eyes lit up. "The Door! What if we see that?" Sly suggested. "What's that?" Luna asked. "Oh! It's great! I hear the reviews for it are fantastic." Luna smiled. "That sounds good. Let see it."

Dexter was stunned. 'The Door! Isn't that a horror film? Luna hates those. Why is she seeing that?' Dexter didn't understand as he watched Luna and Sly go inside. He started to become worried that it might be a disaster, but he also wondered why Sly didn't know that Luna hated those movies. 'I'd better go inside to make sure everything's going to be all right.' Without another thought, he went inside once the coast was clear. He bought a ticket, with dollar bills from his wallet, and then went inside. He looked around, making sure he didn't see Luna or Sly. As he looked at his ticket, he suddenly realized something.

'Oh crap! Now I've got to see this movie! And I hate horror movies!' He then realized that he also had to hide from Sly and Luna, as they could still see him in the theater. So, he would need something to hide his face. Dexter saw a man with a huge tub of popcorn. 'That's it!' Dexter concluded. He went up to the counter and put down a few more bills. "Give me the largest tub of popcorn you've got!" Dexter said with a smile.

Later, Sly and Luna sat down at a seat near the aisle. They smiled and looked at each other, as they got comfortable in their seats. A few moments later, when Sly and Luna were looking at the screen. Dexter crouched down and put the giant tub of popcorn next to his head, on the side that face Luna and Sly. He quickly went up to the top of the back left of the theater and finally got to sit down. For a Sunday afternoon, it was surprising that there wasn't a ton of people for the movie. However, the early start time probably had something to do with it. He sat in his seat, enjoying the popcorn, until the movie started.

After all the previews and other pre-movie ads aired, the real movie started. It was a door that stood in what looked like an addict. A narrator started talking. "This is a door. It's no ordinary door. When you open it all your fears and nightmares...become real." Luna quickly realized what this movie was and realized that she was going to be in for a long ride.

The crowd screamed and gasped as the movie went along. Finally, about a half hour in, Sly got what he wanted and Luna leaned onto him. Sly knowingly put his arm around her. Dexter, from looking between his fingers, saw the gesture. He sighed as Sly's confidence was much higher than his was and it was a good thing that he wasn't closer or he'd hear what Sly said to Luna.

"Don't worry Luna. I'm here." Luna looked up at him, but instead of giving him a smile, she just buried her face lower into his side. "I'm really scared Sly. Please take me home!" Sly wasn't sure what to do now. His fool-proof plan wasn't going as he expected. "Uh...don't worry Luna. Maybe it'll get better in a few minutes." Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder appeared on screen with a flash of lightning. Sly's face turned white as a ghost, as a monster came out of nowhere. "You're right! Lets go!" They quickly got out of their seats and ran out of the movie theater.

Dexter saw everything and was quick to follow them, as he wasn't doing too well either. He ran outside the theater and into the lobby. He looked around and didn't see Sly or Luna. "Where did they go?" he wondered. Unknown to him, Sly and Luna were already outside. "We are not doing that again," Sly said as they caught their breath. They had ran all the way from their seats to the entrance. Once they both caught their breath in the humid summer air, they looked at one another.

"So, can we head back to your place?" Luna nodded. "We can go swimming if you'd like." Sly smiled. "But you don't have a suit," Luna realized. Sly's smile never left his face. "Yes I do." Sly lifted his black shorts to show his black swim trunks. "I wore them underneath my pants," Sly explained, "So lets head back to your place and cool off." Luna nodded and they both walked towards the Tops.

With Yusei, he had arrived at Akiza's house and rang the doorbell. To his surprise, Akiza answered. "Hey Yusei! Come on inside! It's blistering hot outside." Yusei nodded and made his way into the entryway. He looked around before leaning forward and giving Akiza a kiss on the cheek. "I've brought my stuff," Yusei noted as he showed her his bag. "Should we head to the bathroom to change?" Akiza nodded, but Yusei headed for one upstairs. "Oh don't worry Yusei. You can have the one that's much closer downstairs." Yusei smiled. "Well thank you Akiza," Yusei said and placed another kiss on the cheek. Akiza smiled as he headed for the bathroom.

"Where are your parents?" Yusei asked as he looked down a long hallway, not seeing anyone around. He turned around to see that Akiza was already gone. Yusei looked suspiciously at the place where Akiza last was. He finally turned towards the hallway and headed for the bathroom. As he changed, he worried, for only a moment, about what Akiza might think, but he remembered that Akiza found him attractive. He also remembered how he found himself looking good as well and he confidently slid his black swim trunks on. He put on some sun screen and headed outside with his bag. Instead of going into the pool, he waited for Akiza to walk out. When he heard the door close, he turned to face her.

Akiza had her head down and was too shy to look Yusei in the eyes. You could hear Akiza's feet move, as she slowly made her way up to him. Yusei just stared in awe of her two piece bikini with her massive chest and tiny waist. Her long legs only added more to her beauty and Yusei knew that the sun wasn't the reason his face was heating up. Finally, Akiza spoke up, although it was obvious that she was worried about something.

"Yusei...I..." Akiza finally looked up. "I hope you're not mad. I...know most people think I should wear a black or red swimsuit, but..." Akiza paused before confessing. "I really like the color green. It's my secret favorite color and...I hope I look good in it for you." Yusei smiled as Akiza's bikini was a light green color and he made his way over to her, putting a hand on each of her shoulders. "Akiza. You look fantastic and I love the color." Akiza finally stood up straight, to her proper height, as the two of them locked eyes. "I love your outfit and I hope you like mine just as well."

Akiza looked down, to spot Yusei's black swim trunks covering his hairy legs. She finally managed a chuckle. "I think you look great Yusei and I like your color selection as well." The two of them locked eyes again and smiled at one another. After a few moments of being lost in each other's eyes, Yusei had a question for Akiza.

"So, where are your parents?" Yusei wondered. Akiza bit her lip. She couldn't hide the secret any longer. "The truth is that they're out of town and won't be coming back until late tonight," Akiza confessed as she hung her head. "Oh," Yusei replied in surprise, "What a coincidence. I'll just have to talk to them some other time." Akiza knew it wasn't _just_ a coincidence and spoke up. "No Yusei. It's not just fate. You see...I would have asked you if we could swim together this weekend, no matter what the weather was like." Yusei didn't understand.

"Why is that?" he asked. Akiza sighed. "It's just that...I'm very modest when it comes to my clothing and wearing a bikini is a special occurrence for me. So, when you suggested us swimming together, I didn't want to do it with anyone else around. I wanted it to be special Yusei, because...you're a very special person to me. I want me being in something so revealing to be just for you and your eyes only. I wanted to be just with you, because I didn't want other people to be around and judge me." Yusei's eyes softened.

"Akiza. I understand that you wanted it to be a moment just between the two of us and I understand your nervousness. But I want you to know that..." Akiza looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "You look beautiful to me Akiza on the inside _and _the outside. I also want you to know that you shouldn't be worried about what other people think. If you find yourself beautiful, then that's all that matters. I know that we talked about me being self conscious, but I never knew that you were too. So I have to ask you something..." Yusei then asked a question that Akiza had asked him a few months ago. "Do you enjoy how you look?" Akiza nodded.

"I do Yusei. I try to eat healthy and exercise when I can. So, yes. I do enjoy how I look and I always try to look my very best." Yusei smiled. "I feel the exact same way about myself Akiza and with that said..." Yusei headed over to where he put down his bag. It was on a white table and he smiled as he pulled out a camera. Akiza suddenly blushed. "Yusei I...don't know if we should be taking pictures of each other. It's one thing to wear a bikini, but to take a picture of me in it is a whole another story." Yusei smiled. "It's okay Akiza. It's just one picture and besides, I want a memory of our first summer together." Akiza shook her head.

"Just why did you bring that camera anyways? Were you trying to get a picture of me naked?" Yusei quickly shook his head. "No Akiza! I'm not _that _perverted. I thought you had planned a surprise party or something." Akiza's mean look left her face. "A surprise party? What do you mean by that?" Yusei shrugged. "Well, you gave me a wink when we first talked about swimming together and then you were all jumpy the last time we spoke to each other." Akiza blushed.

"Well...that was hint at the fact that I'd be wearing this," Akiza noted, "So I thought you'd get the hint." Yusei shook his head. "I didn't get that," he replied, "But none the less, how about you give me a pose in your swimsuit?" Akiza shook her head. "No way! How do I know this won't end up online or something?" Yusei smiled. "Don't worry Akiza. I promise you that I won't be spreading this around." Akiza looked at him seriously. "You seriously promise?" Yusei nodded. "Yes Akiza. You have my word."

As nervous as Akiza was, she knew that Yusei gave her his word and that was a pretty strong promise. "Plus, we'll take a picture of me and then you can have that one for yourself." Akiza blushed. Having of picture of Yusei in just his swim trunks _would _be kind of nice to have. "All right," Akiza replied. She adjusted her hair and made sure her glasses were good before Yusei snapped a couple photos of her. They then switched places and Akiza snapped a few more. Once they were done, Akiza had bought a pair of swimming goggles for the both of them (which Yusei admittedly forgot to buy), and they had some fun in the pool, just the two of them (which included a few kisses, but there was no undressing or anything of the sort).

Once they were finished, they both headed for the showers, happy about the time they got to spend together. Yusei was happy that Akiza was more self confident and didn't go through the trouble of planning him a party. Akiza was happy that Yusei liked her suit (which stayed on and kept her chest firmly in place) and Yusei gave her some encouraging words (along with a full body shot of him in nothing, but a pair of black swim trunks). Once they were done, they both ate some left over pizza.

At the twin's Sly quickly changed into his swim trunks and ran outside. 'Oh man! I can't wait to see what Luna's wearing!' Sly thought excitedly. Sly soon heard the door shut and turned around with his eyes closed, ready to see his surprise. "Don't worry. I know you'll look fantastic," Sly said aloud.

"What are you talking about?" a voice asked. Sly turned around and opened his eyes to see Leo standing in front of him. "Sly! Were you checking me out?" Leo shouted, "Are you gay?" Sly shook his head. "No Leo! I wasn't checking you out! I thought you were..."

"What are you two fighting about?" Luna asked as the two young men turned towards her. Sly looked stunned at Luna, who was wearing a one piece instead of a two piece. "Hey sis!" Leo replied, "Sly here told me I looked great." Luna looked at him. "Oh. That's so sweet of you Sly. I'm sure Leo thanks you for the compliment." Leo now realized that what Sly said could also mean two things. "Hey yeah!" Leo said excited, "He must be talking about my huge muscles!" Leo flexed his arms and Sly and Luna looked at him skeptically. "Uh...yeah Leo," Luna replied, "They're huge all right." Leo's arms looked more like twigs than anything, but Leo didn't listen. "You'd better believe it," he replied and kissed his forearms.

"And on that note, lets head in the pool," Luna announced and they all headed for the pool. Sly was disappointed that Luna wasn't wearing a two piece and he finally asked her about it. "Hey Luna, don't you have two swimsuits?" Luna turned to him. "Yeah, but the other one's in the wash. So I'm wearing this." Sly's heart sank. 'Crap,' he thought in disappoint. Although, his hopes came up a little bit when Luna came out of the pool a few times. He convinced them to have a cannonball contest (which of course Leo thought he won) and he got to see her legs and butt a little bit.

Once they were done, they ordered brand new pizza (unlike Akiza and Yusei) and ate to regain their energy. "Leo! Don't eat so much! You're going to get sick!" Luna scolded. Leo just laughed. "After all those cannonballs I'm starving." Leo then reached for a few more pieces. Luna just sweat dropped and turned to Sly. "If you want, I can see if there is more food in the fridge." Sly shook his head and put a hand up. "No thanks," he replied as he finished his last slice. He then wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Thanks for the food you guys." He got up and headed for the door.

"And I'll see you guys later." He looked at Leo and then at Luna, to which he added a wink on the latter. Luna blushed when the wink came towards her, but her brother thought it was directed towards him. 'Okay. Sly just needs to come out and admit that he's attracted to me,' Leo thought, 'Then I can tell I'm straight and to STOP HITTING ON ME!'

Back with Yusei and Akiza, they had finished up the food and cleaned what few dishes were needed. Yusei headed for the door and Akiza followed him. "Thanks for everything Akiza." Yusei wrapped his arms around Akiza and gave her a kiss on the lips. Akiza smiled back. "Thanks to you for coming over," she replied and kissed him back. "And oh yeah, the idea of having us take a picture of one another in our swimsuits." Yusei rolled his eyes. "Well...that was more of a last minute idea, since you gave me the impression it was for a party." Akiza pulled him forward and hugged him really tight, as well as giving a kiss on the cheek.

"Who knows? Maybe some day I will give you a surprise party." Yusei blushed at the thought. "You don't have to do that for me Akiza. You already do enough for me." Akiza blushed back. "I could say the same for you." The two of them smiled at one another one last time, before giving each other one last kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later Akiza." Yusei headed for the door handle. "See ya!" Akiza replied, on what was a normal goodbye.

However, when Akiza was going to have to leave for Germany again, their goodbye was going to be something both of them had waited a long time to do.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! The last sentence is a prelude to what is to come the next Chapter.**

**Thanks for being so patient an please review if you can!  
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	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16!**

**A/N: I hope you enjoy the surprise towards the end!  
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As the Summer went along, Yusei and Akiza enjoyed getting to spend time with one another. They got to go out for lunch together, visit each other's at their home, and talk with their other friends and family. With a little help form Yusei, Akiza started wearing a little bit less clothing for the summer heat, but still refrained from wearing anything super short or different from Akiza' very modest attire (not that Yusei minded, as he didn't want other men checking her out). Crow and Jack were still traveling around dueling, although Jack had a "secret friend" along with him. Crow was still leading his team's surprising run, even if he didn't admit it, for a Top 5 finish in the standings. They still weren't up to the level as some of the top ranked teams, but they were still dueling well on a consistent basis. Jack had started winning again, although he had gotten into trouble a few times for fighting with other duelists. When he was given probation and a fine, Jack was furious, and everyone stayed out of contact with him for a week so that he could cool down. Although, being with Carly did help Jack cool off a little better, and all of Jack's friends were quick to thank her for it.

Still, despite everyone's relatively good mood, Martha noticed that there was something odd with Yusei and Akiza. She noticed it. Both of Akiza's parents noticed it. Heck, even Yusei and Akiza noticed it as well. Yusei and Akiza were not afraid of being affectionate to each other when they were alone, but as soon as one person (no matter who was) was nearby, they would instantly stop whatever they were doing. Martha and Akiza's parents decided that maybe they should try to get Yusei and Akiza alone together, while also being public. It wasn't that they wanted them to make out in front of the whole world, but a simple holding hands or something to show that they were a couple. To be honest, in the public eye, they really didn't look much different from what they were before: just friends.

A golder opportunity came when they all went to watch a fireworks show. They would be driven over to Duel Academy, where there was enough room for the show to take place. Leo and Luna already had something scheduled and were unable to come, leaving only five people to attend the event. Martha and Akiza's parents all got into the limo first, which left Akiza and Yusei sitting next to one another. Despite the closeness of the couple, they didn't hold hands, stare at one another, or do anything affectionate. The adults watched as they did smile at one another one time, but, to be honest, they looked more like friends than a couple. The adults gave each other looks that signaled they would try again later.

When they got to Duel Academy, everyone made their way towards the soccer field. The fireworks were going to be shot off in a nearby clearing. The Izinski's brought along a couple of blankets for everyone to sit on. After Mr. Izinski shook hands and took a few pictures with people, thanking him for his work in the Senate, they set the blankets down. The three adults quickly sat on one and tried to take up as much space as possible. "Oh darn," Martha pouted, "There's no more room." She looked up at Yusei and Akiza. "Why don't you two sit on the other one?" Yusei shrugged as he took the other blanket. "Okay," he replied and set the blanket down in an open spot nearby. The two of them sat down next to one another and leaned back. They both started talking to one another, but the adults were at least hoping for holding hands or some other display of affection.

Martha quickly reached for her purse, in which she pulled out some bug replant. "Oh Yusei!" Martha called to him, but both Akiza and Yusei looked over at her, "Do you want some bug replant?" Yusei smiled. "Uh...sure," he replied as he got up and took the bottle. He then offered the bottle to Akiza, as he stood back, and let her spray some on. He then sprayed some on himself and then handed the bug spray back to Martha. "I have to go to the bathroom," Yusei noted, "It's inside right?" Martha nodded and Yusei headed for the school, with Akiza following him. "Here. I'll go with you to show you where it is." The two of them headed for one of the many school entrances.

Once the two of them got inside of the school, Yusei spotted that the hallway in front of them was empty. As Akiza closed the door, Yusei quickly put his arms around her. "Finally, some alone time," Yusei noted as he gave Akiza a kiss on the forehead, "I didn't get a chance to properly greet you yet." Akiza blushed. "That's okay Yusei. Don't you need to head to the bathroom?"

"Not really," Yusei replied, "It can wait, especially since I didn't get to give you a hug yet." Yusei pulled Akiza in tightly. "Now. How are you Akiza?" He leaned back and his face beamed as bright as the sun did outside. "Good," Akiza replied, "But I really think we should find the bathroom." Yusei sighed. "Okay," he said a little disappointingly, as he let go of her. As they faced the hallway, Akiza reached and grabbed Yusei's left hand. The two of them started walking, but their focus was on one another, with smiles on their faces. Yusei intertwined his fingers with Akiza's and they happily continued on their way.

'It'd be so nice if we could do this all the time,' they both thought to themselves, as they finally made it to the restrooms. They both went inside and Yusei was quick to finish. As he leaned against a wall, he looked down, as he rubbed his left hand with his right. 'Akiza has such soft and gentle hands,' Yusei thought, 'Why can't I have to courage to hold them in front of other people?' As Yusei heard a toilet flush, he concluded that, although he had opened himself up, he still felt the guilt of showing his more affectionate side in public. Akiza soon came out and she quickly grabbed his hand again, which snapped Yusei back to reality. "You ready?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded slightly. The two of them then headed for the entrance, from which they entered in.

As soon as they opened the door, Akiza quickly slipped her hand from Yusei's. Yusei was a bit surprised by the action, but he refrained from saying anything. Akiza frowned as they walked back towards their parents. As much as she enjoyed holding his hand, she didn't want to embarrass Yusei, especially with other people around. People were laughing and throwing freebees and other sport balls. 'I don't want to look like the girl that constantly clings onto him,' Akiza thought, 'And I don't want people to think that I'm the one who forced the relationship to happen.' She looked at Yusei, who continued walking forward. When he noticed Akiza looking at him, he turned to her, at first looking curiously, before his face turned into a gentle smile. When he smiled, Akiza looked away in embarrassment. 'He probably hates having to be so nice to me.'

Akiza and Yusei made their way back to their blanket. The talked back and forth with their older friends, until the show started. As they watched, the large crowd ohhed and ahhed at the display. As Ms. Izinski looked over at her daughter and the man who was a big influence on her life, she managed to see their hands were very close to one another. In fact, as a red firework went off, she noticed that Yusei's hand bumped Akiza's. She smiled happily, in hopes that he would then hold her daughter's hand.

Unfortunately, as soon as Ms. Izinski noticed, so did the two people sitting on the opposite blanket. They both looked down and then at one another. They pulled their hands away in embarrassment as they giggled awkwardly. Then, they quickly put their hands far away from each other, to keep from the same occurrence from happening again. Ms. Izinski hung her head sadly, as she was expecting a more romantic moment.

Later, when everyone rode back to the Izinski's, Yusei and Akiza gave each other the usual quick, awkward kiss as their parents tried to act as though they weren't there. To be honest, Yusei and Akiza felt a little guilty kissing in front of them, but they decided that it kept them from being upset that they never did anything romantic.

A week later, Yusei came over to Akiza's unexpectedly. "I thought we could ride out Duel Runners together," Yusei said as he showed her his toolbox, "I want to check on yours, to make sure you'll be safe." Akiza smiled and they made their way to the garage. When they got there, Yusei went over to Akiza's runner. "Oh. You're not going to wear your Runner suit?" Yusei asked as he set his things down. Akiza shook her head back and forth. "Um...isn't it a little hot?" Akiza noted. Yusei thought about it for a moment. "Yeah. I guess you're right." He then turned to her Duel Runner. The truth was that Akiza's outfit didn't fit her anymore, but it would have been awfully embarrassing to tell Yusei that her bust had grown too big for it.

As Yusei started to examine her runner, Yusei had a confession to make. "To be honest Akiza, I haven't spent much time with Duel Runners since everyone left." Akiza was curious. "Oh. Why's that?" Yusei stood up to look at her. "Why would I need to constantly adjust and put money into it that I don't need too? I mean, I'm not in any competitions or anything, so I don't need to find the best parts. As long as it runs, that's all that matters. Besides, not messing with it leaves me with plenty of time for _other things." _

Akiza wasn't quite sure what Yusei meant by "other things." She hoped he was referring to her, but didn't want to get her hopes up too high. As Yusei finished, he smiled at her. "Well, this is the only time I've gotten to check yours runner since you left for school, but it still appears to be good shape." He gave her her helmet. "You ready?" Akiza nodded and she put her helmet on. "It's been a while since I've driven it." Yusei gave her a thumbs up. "Don't worry about it Akiza. We can go slow and take a few side streets to get you warmed up." Akiza nodded and the two of them pushed the runner out of the Izinski's garage. Yusei already had his waiting for him and he quickly put his red helmet on. They connected radios and Yusei said his trademark "Let's rev it up!" as the two of them fired up their engines. They headed out onto the streets of New Domino City, just making a few simple left and right turns. As they stopped at a red light. Yusei talked over the radio.

"You wanna head out onto the freeway?" Yusei asked. "Sure," Akiza replied. They smiled as they headed for the freeway and quickly got up to, but not over, the speed limit. Akiza smiled as they rode side by side. They gave each other a quick glance, with Yusei flashing a smile and Akiza giving him a wink. Luckily, they were going fast enough, that Akiza didn't catch the faint blush on Yusei's cheeks. Yusei slowed down a little bit, as he remembered the wink she gave him. 'Does she even know how much I care about her?' Yusei wondered, 'Or should I say...' Yusei shook his head. No, this wasn't the right time to tell her that.

As Akiza rode on ahead of him, she remembered the true reason why she became a Turbo Duelist: to get to know Yusei better. She quickly glanced over her left shoulder, making sure she didn't lose track of him. 'But...does he know how much I care about him?' Akiza wondered, 'Or should I say...' Akiza's face firmed up and she shook her head. This wasn't where she wanted to tell him. Then again, where and when _could_ she tell him? Akiza thought about it, before coming to a conclusion.

Once they rode back to Akiza's house, they took off their helmets and smiled at one another. "That was fun," Akiza said happily. Yusei nodded in agreement. "So, what do you wanna do now?"

"You wanna come inside for dinner?" Akiza suggested. Yusei smiled. "That sounds good. What are we having?" Akiza opened the door for him. "My parents aren't home, so we could order something." Yusei frowned. "Akiza you don't to do that. I don't want you having to spend extra money on food for me." Akiza brushed off Yusei's worries. "Don't worry Yusei. It's okay. You're the guest, so you can order whatever you'd like." Yusei couldn't help himself and gave Akiza a kiss on the cheek. "You're very thoughtful Akiza, but are you sure it's all right?" Akiza nodded. "Absolutely Yusei. Don't worry about it."

Yusei gave in and they ordered a Hawaiian pizza. As they finished eating, the door opened, and the Izinski parents walked in. Ms. Izinski watched as Yusei and Akiza quickly straightened themselves out. "So, did you two have fun?"

"Oh yeah," Yusei replied, "Tons of fun. We just rode our Duel Runners around for a little while." Ms. Izinski looked at them with knowing eyes. "Was it very romantic Akiza?" Akiza nearly spit out the soda pop she was drinking and gave a quick glace at Yusei. He quickly shook his head. "Oh no. Nothing...romantic at all." Mr. Izinski came in and heard the conversation. "Oh. That's a shame," Mr. Izinski said with some sadness in his voice. Yusei face palmed his forehead as he was now worried that the Izinski's thought he wasn't romantic at all. The Izinski parents sat down and started talking about the party they went to. Once they heard the clock strike 10, Mr. and Ms. Izinski got up. "Well, it's time for the news," Mr. Izinski proclaimed, "Do you wanna stay and watch it with us Yusei?" Yusei kindly declined. "I'd better be getting home. Thank you though." He headed for the door and Akiza followed right behind him.

Mr. and Ms. Izinski were about to stay out of it and let Yusei and Akiza have their time alone to them themselves. Still, as they heard them saying goodbye to one another, they took a quick glance at the entryway.

Yusei had his arms around Akiza's tiny middle and a big smile was on his face. "Thanks for dinner Akiza," Yusei said softly as he gave her a tight hug. The Izinski's smiled as the two of them looked really happy. They said goodbye to one another and, once Yusei was out of the house, Akiza's parents quickly headed for the couch, trying to look as though they hadn't seen a thing. Akiza made her way over to them and sat down on the last open couch cushion. She looked over at her parents, who quickly avoided her eye contact. Akiza was puzzled as to why they looked away from her, but just brushed it off as nothing to worry about.

The next morning, Ms. Izinski quickly called Martha, to tell her what her husband and her saw. "Oh, that's the affectionate Yusei I remember," Martha noted, "I wish he would show that side of him when other people are around." Ms. Izinski agreed. "But we can't force them to. We tried, but they'll just have to learn it for themselves."

They didn't realize that it was coming sooner than Martha or her expected.

A couple weeks later, Akiza was going to say goodbye to Yusei. It had been an fun summer, as the last few weeks were mostly spent with the twins. They went to the local museum, which had a dinosaur exhibit, and Leo got excited every time there was a new dinosaur. Luna had to keep telling him to keep his voice down, as it was a museum, and Yusei and Akiza had to keep from laughing too loud. Still, they got the chance to spend some quality time with the twins and they really enjoyed it.

But now, as Akiza looked at the day she was going to leave, she had already decided that she was going to tell Yusei something. Something that she had been afraid to tell him for a very long time. But now...she was ready. The night before, she contacted Yusei, not verbally, but with a message. As Yusei went to get it, he smiled at who it was from, but he was confused as to what it meant.

"Meet me at the garage tomorrow night when it's dark. Wear what you did last year."

Yusei re-read it a couple of times. He knew that the garage was Zora's garage, which no one lived in anymore, and he understood tomorrow night. But what did she mean by, "Wear what you did last year?" Yusei tried to think of what was going on at the same time last year. He closed his eyes as he thought.

'Lets see...we all had that party and Jack and I dueled. The twins were going to London, while Jack and Crow started dueling. Akiza was heading for Germany and then we had the night before we left.' Yusei's eyes shot open. "That's it," he cried and quickly went to his closet. He started searching, hoping to find his old outfit. He smiled once he found it.

The following night, Yusei got into his attire that he wore the year before. He put on his dark pants, undershirt, and black overcoat. The August weather was typical for this time of year, warm during the day, but cool at night. Their were a few clouds, but it was also very clear as the moon shined brightly in the sky. As Yusei walked up to the old garage, he wondered what Akiza had to say to him. He hoped that it would be something good, but he also worried it could be something bad. He went up to the garage door, which was surprising light, and lifted it up. As he did, he spotted Akiza, who was wearing her pink shirt along with white and dark blue pants. Even her hair was back in the style it was one year ago. Akiza was looking away from him, with her back towards the door.

"Akiza," he said on instinct. He quickly turned and headed for the light switch.

"Keep the lights off," Akiza said as she knew that Yusei was going to turn them on. Yusei stopped and looked at her.

"I've been waiting here. Thinking about something," Akiza started, "I can't show you my face right now." Yusei walked towards her, hands in his pockets, as Akiza continued. "Are you the only one who will be here Yusei?" Yusei's face became concerned. "Yeah. So what's up?" Akiza finally turned towards him, but her eyes were down at the floor.

"I just wanted to say something, before I said goodbye to you." Yusei's nervous face quickly turned into a kind smile. "I see," he responded.

Akiza's hands were behind her back. She was nervous, not nearly as nervous as a year before, but still nervous. What she was about to say, was something that she had held in for a very long time. Still, this was how she wanted to tell him. Last year, they both gave the hint that they felt the same way about each other. All throughout the past year, they had grown and became even closer to each other. Still, over that time, they had never said how they truly felt about the other. _Those three magical words._ Akiza decided that now was the time to say it.

"Yusei..." Akiza started as he she gripped her wrist tightly. Akiza swung her hand in front of her large chest and the two of them locked eyes. "I have always loved you." Akiza's face was concerned as to how Yusei would react. His smile turned into a straight line and he opened his mouth very slightly. About a second later, a proud and confident smile appeared on his face. After blinking just once, he responded.

"So have I, Akiza."

A smile quickly appeared on Akiza's face. She turned away again, as she was now a little embarrassed. She decided to change the subject. "When I first saw you Yusei, with your Signer mark, I was really afraid of you." Yusei's smile became firm on his face, as he didn't blame Akiza for changing the subject. He still found it ironic how Akiza and him agreed, not only on their feelings for each other, but also how they felt the first time that they met. He leaned forward and, although he had to force himself a little bit, he gave out a good, hearty laugh. Akiza looked over at him, in the corner of her eye, as she admired his laugh. She even let out a very faint chuckle to herself, as his laugh was causing her to laugh. Once he was done laughing, Yusei continued talking.

"It was the same for me. When I first saw you Akiza, I was honestly afraid of you. I became even more afraid when I saw just how skilled you were as a duelist and I worried that I wouldn't be able to beat you. In fact, you were so good, that the Signers might not have been able to get together." Akiza was now mad, even madder than the year before. Yusei had hinted at that last year, which was a little easier to take. But now, he was flat out saying that Akiza's excellent dueling skills could have caused the end of the world. Without a thought, she turned to him, making a fist, and yelling rather loudly.

"You really thought that I could have caused the end of the world Yusei?"

Yusei chuckled and knew that he was in a losing battle. Still, like a year before, Yusei changed the subject to something else. It was something that he hoped Akiza would find a little more pleasant than what they were talking about at that moment. "Akiza. Please don't be upset, because I really want you to smile." Akiza let go of her fist at Yusei's kind words and Yusei eyed her now opened hand. He started holding it, first with his left, followed by his dominant right. "Your smile is still the most beautiful in the entire world Akiza." Akiza's face completely softened and the smile that Yusei was talking about, appeared on her face. She eyed their hands and put her less dominant left on, to put the finishing touch on holding each other's hands.

"You're the one who gave me that smile, Yusei."

Yusei started leaning forward and Akiza followed. Although, unlike a year before, Akiza let go of Yusei's hand and he followed her lead. Akiza put one hand on his neck and soon the other. Yusei's hands went one by one to her stomach. They kept their eyes on one another, their faces reflecting in their eyes and glasses, until Akiza closed her eyes. Yusei followed and their lips touched for a kiss. Once their lips met, Yusei took a number of steps back, until he finally leaned against a wall. It was much easier to kiss his girlfriend, when he didn't have to worry about falling over.

Akiza quickly wanted to deepen the kiss, but she broke off with Yusei and asked for his permission. Yusei quickly responded "yes" and they both started kissing again, this time with passion. Akiza gently rubbed Yusei's neck and hair. Unlike the last time they made out, Yusei's hand's didn't go towards Akiza's butt. Instead, he kept it on her waist and gently moved his hands up and down, making sure he didn't go too high or low. Since Yusei had put his hands on her figure before, Yusei didn't have to worry about asking for permission. However, he didn't have to say word to know how Akiza was feeling. She, along with Yusei, were moaning quite loudly and enjoying the moment. Akiza's hips dug into Yusei's, causing them even more pleasure.

They continued making out and making noises with their mouths until they finally finished. They leaned back and smiled at one another, as they gazed into the other's eyes. There was no doubt in each other's mind how they felt about the other, so it only felt right for Akiza to finally say it. "I love you," Akiza said softly. "I love you too," Yusei responded. Akiza gasped and they shared another kiss. They both sighed happily when Akiza finally leaned back. and they thanked each other for the session. "Yusei," Akiza said rather nervously, "Can I ask you something?" Yusei continued smiling, but he was a little worried yet again. "Of course Akiza. What is it?"

"It's just that...we're so affectionate around each other when we're alone. We hug, we kiss, we hold hands, we make out, and I love all of it. But..." She looked down. "We never do it in front of other people and, while I understand wanting to do privately, I'd love it if we were affectionate in front of other people. I mean...isn't that what makes two people a couple instead of just friends? The fact that they're affectionate to each other, no matter what? So...if it's okay with you...could we try to be more affectionate, even if there are people watching?" Yusei gently lifted Akiza's head, so she would look at him.

"I agree 110% Akiza. We should be more affectionate out in public. I mean..." Yusei was embarrassed to admit it, but it was true. "I love being affectionate with you Akiza, especially since I get to see you smile." Akiza blushed at his words. "We should be more affectionate, even if people are watching. We'll obey the law of course and not go crazy, but we can still show our love to each other." Yusei now had an idea. "How about, when you come back, we'll show everyone just how much we love each other? After all, I am your boyfriend and you are my girlfriend." Akiza gasped. "Say that again."

"I'm your boyfriend...and you're my girlfriend." Akiza was so excited that she wanted to try it. "I am your girlfriend and you are my boyfriend," Akiza repeated as Yusei slightly nodded. "I'm your girlfriend and you're my boyfriend," Akiza repeated one last time. She looked up at Yusei and they kissed on it. "Oh Yusei. I'm so happy. I can't even tell you how excited I am!" Yusei pulled Akiza in tighter. "But I do Akiza. The happiness you're feeling right now is the same happiness that I'm feeling. I love you so much Akiza."

"And I love you too Yusei." The two of them kissed one more time before they laid back and looked deeply into each other's eyes. They weren't sure how long they were in that position, but they didn't care. They finally got to say those three little words and now they couldn't stop saying them. They couldn't wait to show the world just how much they loved each other and they couldn't wait to grow and love each other even more than they already did. And it was all, because they had said:

Their first "I love you."

**A/N: Just to clarify, I was trying to be realistic when Yusei and Akiza confessed again. I thought it would be awfully odd for them to remember every single word, so I thought that it could be similar (as they vaguely remember it), but not exact. I also apologize, as I know the beginning has probably been brought up before, but I didn't want the second confession to come out of left field.**

**I also am not sure if my next Chapter will cause the story to become rated M or remain T. If I was to give the Chapter a title it would be called "Yusei's 21st Birthday." So, I'm going to double check on if I have to change the rating or not (anyone's help is greatly appreciated, so if you know or know someone please PM me or review. I do not want to lose the story). There will be swearing (which I will censor), alcohol, and brief nudity. I have tried to tone it down as much as I could and I apologize if it offends anyone.  
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**I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and I hope you will enjoy the next one as well.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17!**

**A/N: I decided to make this M-rated. I didn't want to change it but I didn't want to get in trouble. I apologize if anyone is upset.  
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**Warning: Swearing (minor ones not censored aka the a and d-word), Alcohol, and Nudity are in this Chapter.  
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As Yusei and Akiza separated, they ended with the way that most couples do. "I love you," they each responded, as they knew it would be the last time they'd see each other for a brief period. Once Akiza's plane took off and safely landed in Germany, she was quick to contact the twins and Yusei to inform them of her arrival. Of course, speaking of the twins, they had to get back going to London as well. They called up Justin, to make sure that their parents did not know about their disappearance.

"Nope. Not a thing," Justin said over the telephone, "All the bills and everything are paid for, so you'll just have to come back before school starts." The twins had already scheduled their flight and, the day before they left, Yusei wanted to talk to them at their apartment across the hall. He even had Akiza video chat, so they could all talk to each other at one time. Her hair was back to it's old form, after she had adjusted it for their goodbye.

"I want you guys to know that it's okay to contact us in different ways, but I'd prefer it to be with some vocal communication," Yusei informed them, "You two are going through a very difficult age, one that Akiza and I have already been through. It's easy to send a message saying that you're okay or fine, but with vocal communication, it's a lot easier for us to talk about any problems you're having. So, in conclusion, don't feel afraid to tell us if there's something at home, in school, or someplace else that you are having a problem with." Luna hugged Yusei.

"Don't worry Yusei. We'll stay in touch." She turned to the video screen. "And that includes you Akiza." Akiza closed her eyes and smiled. "You're our friends and we know that we can come to you, with whatever problems come our way," Leo pointed out, "Although, we know you can't do anything about our parents." Akiza and Yusei nodded. "But still, if there is anything outside of that, we'll do our best to help you guys," Akiza said on the screen. The twins nodded and, the following morning, they met with their Duel Academy friends at the airport.

"Bye guys! Take care," Luna said as she clung to her backpack. "We'll be back next summer," Leo noted, "So don't worry about us ditching you guys."

"We won't," Sly replied, "Especially with such nice friends as you two." Dexter agreed, although he was a little weary of how Sly was acting. Still, he didn't want to cause the goodbye to of his best friends to be ruined, so he refrained from opening his mouth. They all waved goodbye as Bob and Patty shouted good luck to them and the twins slowly headed for their gate. As everyone walked out, Dexter felt the saddest to see his friends leave. Now all he had was Yusei to talk to, while the rest of his friends had their group of friends to go back to. He sighed as he knew it was going to be a long few months.

As the months wore on, Yusei tried his best to keep in touch with all his friends. He obviously kept in touch with Akiza the most, who was having a much easier start to her school year than the previous one. Yusei was happy for her and was sure to give her lots of support. The twins were starting a new year as well and Yusei was just as worried about them. He knew how tough teen years could be on people and he didn't want Leo and Luna, two very bright kids, going down the wrong path. Still, he knew that with Akiza and his help, they could make sure that they would have a bright future down the road.

As the months went one, Yusei also kept in contact with Jack and Crow. Now they're language had gotten a bit more...colorful as some people would put it. They used to swear very little before, but since they left New Domino City, it had really intensified. Yusei didn't mind it, as he heard other people doing it on his way to and from work. Plus, it was not to say that Yusei never swore himself, but he at least had some guidelines for _when he did it_. It would either be:

Number One: When he was by himself

Number Two: Very quietly under his breath, to himself, with no one around, or he would think it in his mind.

Number Three: When he was very, very, very upset, but this almost never occurred.

Jack and Crow didn't really have guidelines for how often the swore. Sometimes it would be very little, while other times it would be almost every other word. So, when Yusei managed to talk to them face-to-face, he had to be prepared to hear the colorful language coming out their mouths, however often it might. He had slowly grown used to his friends doing it and he never really asked them about it. They were perfectly entitled to use the language they felt appropriate.

"So yeah there was this one guy," Crow recalled as he talked to Yusei on a video chat, "And he was knocking the s*** out of me. I mean he was down right kicking my ass!" Yusei just sat in his seat as Crow used a few more swears to describe how he miraculously won. "Aren't I just the best damn duelist ever Yusei?" Yusei just sweat dropped. "Uh...yeah," Yusei replied as that wasn't exactly how he would have phrased it. Still, Yusei tolerated the language and it wasn't a deal breaker in terms of them being friends. Yusei had the same situation with Jack, although he wasn't afraid to drop a f-word multiple times in a sentence. Yusei knew that he wouldn't use that kind of language in front of Martha, but outside of that, Jack was really starting to curse like a sailor.

A little more than a couple months after the twins left, it was time for Akiza and Yusei's Birthdays. When they told each other the exact day, they were surprised as to how close they were. So, when it was Akiza's turn to go first, Yusei was more than happy when he got to video chat with her after school and after work.

"Happy Birthday Akiza!" Yusei said with a big smile over his computer. Akiza smiled. "Thank you Yusei. You're so sweet." Yusei wiggled in his seat as he was full of embarrassment. "Well...it's probably because I love you so much." Akiza blushed and noticed that there was something in front of Yusei. "Yusei, what's that in front of you?" Yusei raised his eyebrows, as he was hoping to bring it up later. "Oh. Well...since you noticed." Yusei slid the item back and picked it up. "It's a piece of Birthday cake Akiza." Akiza looked confused. "Uh...why do you have that. It's not like I can eat it." Yusei continued to smile.

"No, but I thought that you could still blow out a candle." He picked up a candle nearby and then some matches. "Now I just gotta light it," Yusei said as he got a match out. He then swiped it a few times and couldn't get it to work. "Okay. New one," he replied. This time, it lit up, but he couldn't get the candle to light. "Third time's the charm," Yusei encouraged himself. On the first swipe, the match snapped into two. "Dang it!" Yusei said in frustration. Akiza giggled. "You're lucky this wasn't Jack or Crow or they'd be swearing up a storm," Yusei noted as he grabbed yet another match. Finally, this one lit the candle. "Hang on! I've got to get some water on this so I don't burn down the whole building." Yusei quickly ran and then headed back to his seat.

"Um Yusei...how am I going to..." Yusei then started singing "Happy Birthday" to Akiza as she blushed lightly. When he was done, he set the plate down. "Now make a wish and blow out the candle." Akiza was still confused. "How am I going to do that?" Akiza asked. "Just blow," Yusei replied, "Trust me." He gave her a wink and Akiza closed her eyes. She then blew and when she opened them, the candle "magically" went out.

"Yeah!" Yusei cheered, "That was some blow! It had enough strength to get across an entire ocean and _still _blow it out." Akiza chuckled awkwardly. "So, 20 years old? How does it feel?" Yusei asked. "It feels weird," Akiza noted, "But...I'm really glad that I got to spend part of it with you." Yusei smiled. "Well thank you Akiza. I love you very much." Akiza looked into Yusei's eyes on screen. "I love you too." The two stared silently at one another, until Akiza spoke up. "So, you're Birthday's coming up too. 21 right?" Yusei nodded. "Well I'll be sure to contact you before then." The two said goodbye and about a week or so later, it was time for Yusei's Birthday.

"So how will you spend your 21st Birthday?" Akiza asked, "Going to go clubbing or partying it up?" Yusei shook his head. "Nah. I think I'll just stay home. I got some sparkling juice and I bought a small piece of cake for myself." Akiza smiled. "I love that sparkling juice! Be sure to save some for New Years this year." Yusei laughed. "I will. At least then I'll have someone to enjoy it with." Akiza frowned. "I'm sorry you have to spend your Birthday all alone. I could stay up with you if you want!" Yusei shook his head. "It's okay Akiza. You need your rest. Besides, just spending even a little bit of time with you is good enough for me. You're a really important person in my life Akiza and I want you to remember that." Akiza blushed. "Thank you Yusei. You're important to me as well. I love you." Yusei nodded. "I love you too Akiza." The two smiled at one another, feeling their love going through the screen. Akiza finally heard a clock go off near her.

"Well, I guess I've got to get going. Happy Birthday Yusei and remember...I love you." Yusei responded that he did too and their screens shut off. Yusei smiled as he laid back in his chair. He may be spending the night at home alone, but just spending that time with Akiza made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. After he got up and walked around his apartment a little bit, the phone rang a few minutes later.

"Martha?" he asked in surprise, "What's up?" Martha's voice sounded urgent. "Can you come over to Zora's house? There's something I need to talk to you about." Yusei's eyes grew wide. "I'll be right there," he replied. Yusei grabbed his winter coat, with his regular blue vest attire underneath, and then ran out the door. As Yusei ran down the street, he wondered what Martha and Zora wanted to see him about. Although, it didn't take him long to figure out that it might have something to do with his Birthday. After he got there, Martha had the door opened in front of Zora's house.

"Yusei. It's so good to see you," Martha said as they exchanged a hug. Yusei was still catching his breath. "So...uh...what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Yusei asked. Martha smiled. "Well...it's not really a talk," Martha informed him, "Go to the garage and see for yourself." Yusei headed for it, but noticed that Martha wasn't following him. "Aren't you coming?" he asked. Martha shook her head. "I'm going to talk to Zora a little bit more and then I'm heading off. You go on ahead Yusei. I'm sure you'll enjoy what's inside." Martha then shut the door and Yusei was now concerned. It seemed very odd for Martha to leave him alone by himself like this. When he got to the door, the first thing he remembered was Akiza and his confessions. This time, however, Akiza was surly not going to be here. He sighed and took a deep breath, as he opened the door.

When he turned on the light, two people shot up. "Happy Birthday Yusei!" Jack and Crow shouted and Yusei smiled at them. "Hey guys!" Yusei said as he raced down over to them. He looked around as Jack and Crow had ordered some balloons, a couch, some chairs to sit on, and even a banner. How Jack and Crow agreed on something, Yusei didn't know or care. They all greeted each other by exchanging fist bumps. "What are you two doing here? Don't you still have a week or so in the (dueling) season?" Jack and Crow shrugged.

"Missing one tournament's not going to kill my career," Jack noted. "And I let a local guy race on my team," Crow added, "Plus the other guys missed a week or two, so I deserve to take some time off." Yusei nodded. "So that means you'll be here for a little while?" Jack and Crow nodded. "Only a couple of days," Jack noted, "And then we're back to dueling and finishing the season. But enough about us, today's about you, and the fact that you can now legally drink." Jack lead Yusei over to a fridge, where there was some alcoholic beverages inside.

To be honest, Yusei wasn't into alcohol. The only one he admittedly liked was champagne. However, there were a few things that make it different than other drinks:

1. It was very bubbly compared to other drinks and honestly reminded him of soda pop.

2. It was also very expensive, so Yusei never bought it.

With that in mind, Yusei had gotten a bottle of sparking juice instead. It was cheaper and had no alcohol in it, so Yusei didn't have to worry about how much he drank. Plus, it tasted just as good if not better than champagne. With that in mind, Yusei really wasn't into any other alcoholic beverages that he could think of. So looking at the different drinks in the fridge didn't make him feel very excited. It wasn't until he looked towards the back, that Yusei spotted a bottle of sparkling juice. 'Martha must have gotten this for me,' Yusei thought and he was quick to reach for it. As Yusei looked at the bottle, Jack rolled his eyes.

"Yusei," Jack replied as he took the bottle from his hand, "Why do you want this s***? Look! It even says non-alcoholic right on the bottle!" Jack barely had to move to drop the bottle into the trash can. Yusei watched as the bottle luckily fell onto some soft supplies that Jack and Crow had used for the party. Yusei frowned as Jack turned him back towards the fridge chocked full of alcoholic beverages. "Now. Pick out something else. Something not so _lame."_ Yusei just stared at the fridge. He didn't want any alcohol. All he wanted was to do was sit down and catch up with his friends. If he was going to drink anything, Yusei wanted a can of soda. Unfortunately, none appeared to be in front of him.

"I...really don't want anything," Yusei admitted. Jack frowned. "Well at least get something. Here." Jack picked out a name brand bottle of beer. "At least have this while we sit down and talk." Yusei sighed quietly to himself as he took the bottle and sat down on a chair. He put it on a small end table next to him and they all sat down in a circle. "Did you guys bring anything to eat?" Yusei asked as Jack and Crow quickly took out a 6-pack of beer. "We didn't have time," Crow noted, "But we did pick up this bag of chips." He tossed a bag of sour cream and onion chips towards Yusei. "Besides, if you eat then you lose the alcohol and buzz effects," Jack added. As they started talking, Yusei opened the bag of chips. He offered it to Jack and Crow, who both declined. It wasn't exactly what Yusei expected for a Birthday dinner, but at least he got to spend time with his old buddies.

As they talked, Yusei was quick to note how often and how fast they were consuming the beverages. He couldn't help. but wonder if Crow was old enough to drink, since he was younger than him. "Um. Crow?" Yusei asked once he got the chance, "Are you sure you're old enough to drink?" Crow shrugged it off. "I'm close enough," he replied, "Besides, a few months and I'll be old enough." Yusei just looked confused at his two friends as he then stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth. Jack looked over at Yusei, who hadn't touched his beer yet.

"Hey Yusei. Why haven't you touched your beer yet?" Yusei looked up. "I'm...not really in the mood right now," Yusei replied. Jack wasn't too thrilled. "Come Yusei. You're 21. You should have at least one drink." Yusei could only frown.

He hated fighting with Jack over this. Over something so stupid. If Yusei didn't want to drink, he had the right to not drink. If only Akiza was here. She'd stick up for him. Plus, Yusei wouldn't be outnumbered two to one. If Jack would push the envelope, then Yusei could have left with her and enjoyed his 21st with the woman he loved. But Akiza sadly wasn't here, wasn't here to defend him, and wasn't here to celebrate with him.

"Come on Yusei," Jack egged him on, "We flew halfway across the country to celebrate your Birthday and you're going to make all our effort for nothing?" Yusei now felt guilty. Jack and Crow had taken time out of their lives and busy schedules, to come back to New Domino City, and celebrate his 21st Birthday with him. The least he could do is hold in all his anger and dislike of alcohol and drink one beer. Yusei decided that's what he was going to do.

"Okay," Yusei replied. He picked up the brown bottle and tried to get the cap off. "Here," Jack said, with a noticeable slur as he got up and took the bottle. He popped it off with ease and held it in front of Yusei. He took the bottle and closed his eyes. Yusei had tasted beer before. When he was growing up, older orphans came back to Martha's house and drank as they talked with her. Yusei had taken very small sips and even one time said "I love beer." It made Martha and whoever was visiting laugh. Now that he was older, Yusei felt the disgusting taste come into his mouth, and down his throat. He looked away, with his eyes tightly shut, as he hated what he was tasting.

"Yeah!" Jack and Crow cheered, as Yusei finally managed to open his eyes. Jack and Crow must have already felt a buzz, as they didn't seem to notice Yusei's forceful consumption. As Jack and Crow sat down, Yusei stuffed another handful of chips into his mouth, to not only get rid of the taste, but also lessen the alcoholic effects.

They continued to talk (or in Jack and Crow's case swear) as well as drink. Each time Yusei took some of his beer, Jack and Crow usually had to notice it and encourage him to keep drinking. Considering the fact that they had gone through a few 6-packs, Yusei was a little surprised that they were paying attention to him. After he forced each sip down, Yusei quickly stuffed himself with chips again, until finally he had finished his first (and hopefully) last beer.

By that time, Jack and Crow were clearly intoxicated and Yusei was clearly not. Still, that didn't stop Jack from asking. "Okay...okay...is everything drunk yet?"

"I am," Crow said in a loud voice and he halfway raised his hand. "Okay. Orange guy is drunk. How about you Yusei?" Yusei looked a bit nervously, as he wasn't quite sure what to say. He ultimately decided to lie. "Oh yeah. I'm really drunk," Yusei replied. Crow looked at him suspiciously. "Yusei can't be drunk! He's only had one beer." Yusei quickly became worried as Crow reached for the last beer in a six-pack.

"Here! Have _another one." _Yusei cringed at the thought of having to have yet another beer. So, he quickly knew he'd have to convince Jack and Crow that he was in fact intoxicated. Yusei knew that he wasn't a award winning actor, but he'd try his best.

He quickly took the now empty beer bottle, trying to make it look like there was still some left in it. "Oh. I don't know about that I'm waaaay too drunk. Besides, look at how skinny I am." Yusei forced himself to fall to the floor as he tried to get up. "Here let me help you," Jack replied as he helped Yusei to his feet. Yusei then fumbled with his shirt, as he showed them his waistline. Crow and Jack stared at it and then at Yusei's face. He worried he might not be acting good enough, so he stuck out his tongue.

"Duuuh," Yusei said in a stupid sounding tone. Jack and Crow smiled. "Oh. He's definitely drunk. Considering how skinny he is," Crow noted and put the bottle back down. Yusei grinned. "Yeah. His low tolerance is probably due to not having a six pack of abs like me," Jack noted as Crow and him started to laugh.

"Ha ha ha," Yusei said half heatedly. Of course if it was Jack and Crow making fun of his stomach or having to drink another beer, Yusei would go with the first option every time. "Okay. So now what do we do?" Yusei asked.

"I'll be right back," Crow said and quickly ran away for a moment. He went up to the thermostat and turned the temperature way down. He then ran back over to his other two friends.

"Okay. Now that we're all drunk," Jack announced, "There's only one thing to do: get naked." Crow nodded and Jack and Crow quickly started undressing. Yusei felt rather awkward and, like the beer, really didn't want to.

"Aww. But I don't want to get undressed," Yusei tried to say in a drunk tone, "I wanna keep my clothes on." Jack and Crow stared at him. "Oh come on Yusei," Crow replied. "Yeah," Jack added, "This is what being drunk is all about." Yusei fringed as he saw that Jack and Crow now had no clothes on. He knew that he was on for a long night.

Later, Yusei stood with most of his clothes in a pile in front of him. All he had on was a pair of boxers. Yes, in the battle of boxers vs. briefs the great Yusei Fudo wore boxers. He had quickly realized the temperature in the room had gotten much colder as he put his arms in front of himself, trying to stay warm. 'Why is it freaking cold in here?' Yusei wondered as he kept his eyes firmly closed. Jack and Crow already had made fun of him for not having the sculpted bodies that they did. Yusei insisted that Akiza said he looked beautiful, just the way he was.

"Yeah. Women only say that when their man's not as fit as they'd want them to be," Jack replied. Yusei knew that he was in a losing battle and didn't press on.

Now, Yusei was standing, in his boxers, and in when felt like the weather outside. "Come on Yusei," Crow encouraged, "Just one more thing to go." Yusei barely opened his eyes. "No," he replied and shook his head. Yusei didn't get it. What was so important about getting drunk and then naked? Not to mention that they were all guys. It seemed rather...awkward.

"Either you take those boxers off or we'll do it for you!" Jack finally shouted. Yusei froze and his eyes grew wide. Having Jack and Crow's hands near his groin would be _extremely uncomfortable. _Yusei decided he had no choice and finally dropped his trousers. He then kicked them towards his pile of clothes.

"Yay!" Jack and Crow cheered as Yusei quickly went back to the position he was in before. Yusei quickly put his arms around the front of his body and cringed at the cold. Unnoticed by Yusei, was that Jack and Crow's excitement quickly died down. They looked closely at Yusei and then at one another.

"Hey Crow, you did make it cold didn't you?" Jack whispered. "Of course," Crow replied, "It should be cold enough for any guy to get a..." They both turned to Yusei, who managed to catch them staring at him. "What?" he asked in anger. Yusei was getting upset over everything he had to force himself to do tonight. Jack and Crow suddenly got smiles on their faces and they pointed at Yusei. He quickly saw where they were pointing and tried to hide it. Still, Jack and Crow knew what they saw.

"Little dick! Little dick!" they both chanted and Yusei's eyes grew wide. "Come you guys. That's enough." Still their chant didn't stop. As Yusei stood there. he finally realized that he had enough. He had tolerated drinking, he had tolerated all their swearing, he had tolerated their insulting of his scrawny body, he had tolerated the cold house, but now Jack and Crow had finally crossed the line. Yusei quickly looked at the pile of clothes in front of him and started putting them back on. The first thing to put on was obviously his boxers.

"Aww. What's wrong _little dick?"_ Jack mocked, "Can't _measure up _to the competition?" Jack and Crow laughed as Yusei continued getting dressed. "Akiza and I think that I look great," Yusei replied, but as with earlier in the night, Jack and Crow didn't listen. "Sure she does," Crow replied, "And when she sees _that_ she'll think you're most handsome guy on the face of the earth!" Jack and Crow's laughter grew even louder as Yusei was finally dressed. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

"Wait Yusei!" Jack cried as Yusei stopped a short distance from the door. Jack and Crow stumbled towards the door, even tripping, until they finally got up to him.

"You're not going to drink and drive are ya?" Jack asked as he put a hand on his shoulder. Yusei's eyes widened in surprise. Even when his friends were absolutely plastered, they had the ability not to drink and drive. "Yeah," Crow added, "It's not safe. We can call Martha. She'd always offer to pick us up, no matter what. If we didn't feel we could drive, we can call her, and she'll pick us up. No questions asked." Even in Yusei's upset state, he had to smile. Jack and Crow really cared about him, even if they did make him uncomfortable over the past few hours.

"We don't want you getting a DUI or a DWI," Jack slurred. Yusei knew he was nowhere near as intoxicated as Jack thought and he let Jack know that he wasn't going to drive. "Because I don't you running into Officer Grudge again," Jack reminded him. Yusei was baffled. "Don't you mean Trudge?" he corrected him.

"Yeah, but he's always cranky, so his name should really be Officer Grudge," Jack replied, "Besides, Crow and I will show you what you might have to deal with." They then faced each other. "Okay. You'll have to count to a number. Probably something high."

"How about 10?" Crow suggested. Jack's eyes grew wide. "Exactly! If...if someone asked you for a _really high _number and you said 10, they'd all be like 'Wow you said 10!' Because 10's like the highest number like ever!" Yusei rolled his eyes. "So count to 10 Crow," Jack replied. "All right," Crow replied, "1...2...uh...5...uh...10. There! I counted to 10!" Jack applauded him. "That was some grrrreeat counting Crow! If...if there was a counting contest..._you'd win!"_ Yusei's anger was slowly subsiding and now he was trying not to laugh.

"What...what other things would Officer Grudge ask?" Yusei asked. "Oh that's easy," Jack replied, "You'd have to sing your ABC's. Hit it Crow."

"A...uh...I think the next's one's C and then it's G...uh...followed by P...then Z. Now I know my ABC's...next time Jack better sing with me." Jack applauded again. "Great job Crow! If you were in school, they'd give you an A+...+++ for that _wonderful_ effort. Plus, you're a great singer too." Crow then leaned on Jack. "Aww. Thanks Jack." The two of them smiled at Yusei, as he had an awkward look on his face. "Okay. I'll be heading off now," Yusei informed them, "You two behave. Don't go out driving either." Jack waved a hand. "Aww. We'll sleep here tonight," Jack notified him, "You sure you aren't going anywhere?" Yusei had to keep telling them he was just going across the street. "I'm going to Zora's house and staying there," he informed them, "So don't worry. I'll be fine. You guys have fun." Yusei finally shut the door. After he took a few steps, he heard Jack yell, so loudly, that all of New Domino City could probably hear him.

"I peed my pants!" Jack yelled as Yusei stopped walking. Crow laughed. "You're not wearing any pants," Crow replied. "Oh. Oh yeah," Jack said in realization. Yusei stared at the door and soon heard them start laughing. Yusei just shook his head as headed for Zora's house.

When he got there, Zora was gracious to welcome him inside. "Oh Yusei!" she answered sweetly, "How are things going with your little friends?" Yusei smiled. "Uh...swell. Listen, can I stay here for the rest of tonight?" Zora instantly got a smile on her face. "Of course Yusei. I can understand why you wouldn't want to be around those _obnoxious rascals."_ Yusei chuckled at calling Jack and Crow "obnoxious rascals." He put his coat up and then passed through the kitchen. "Do have any leftovers by any chance?" he asked, referring to when Zora and Martha met earlier in the day. Zora again was more than happy to please him. "Of course Yusei! I still have some lasagna leftover that you can have." Yusei smiled. "That sounds great," he replied.

After Zora was more than willing to give him enough food than he needed, she showed him to a small room, that served as an extra bedroom. It was actually a comfortable little place and Zora said she had it done, the last time Leo came to visit. Since they had made up, she wanted him to know that he was always welcome, and the tiny room was a symbol of that. Yusei smiled as he laid in bed and Zora gave him an extra pair of pajamas. "You didn't drink too much tonight did you?" Zora asked Yusei assured her that he did not. Yusei then watched some TV, before the news, and then some more afterwards. When it was time for bed, Zora gave him a toothbrush and mouthwash. Before going to sleep, Yusei looked out at the old garage. He saw Jack and Crow's silhouettes in the window and it was clear they were dancing and drinking some more. Yusei just shook his head and climbed into bed. He knew he had good friends, but he was actually glad he came over to Zora's. He got fed, didn't have to drink, and got a warm comfy bed to sleep in. He then dozed off to sleep.

The next morning, Yusei got up a little later than usual. After having breakfast, he decided to check in on Jack and Crow. When he opened the door, he found Jack sleeping on the sofa they had brought in. He looked around and saw beer bottles everywhere as it looked as though they had partied late into the night. As Yusei walked up to him, Yusei noticed that a "certain area" was not being covered by Jack's blanket and he quickly looked away. He took a part of the white sheet and looked away, as he threw it in the area's direction. He smiled once it was covered, but then watched as Jack rolled over on his side. Yusei figured he had woke up him up as Jack started to mumble.

"I'll show you I'm the master of faster," Jack said in his sleep, "In your ass!"

Yusei wasn't sure what Jack was dreaming about, but he was happy he was not in it. He then headed for the stairs and, after he put one foot on the first step, he heard Crow snoring loudly upstairs. As he looked around once more, he remembered how Jack and Crow had made fun of him numerous times the night before. 'Maybe it's time I get some payback,' Yusei thought and he tiptoed out of the garage.

Later, Yusei came in with a set of earplugs on. At first, Yusei didn't wear earplugs, but Akiza soon notified him of the dangers. Yusei learned some more about it from her and then promised her that, whenever he was doing anything that might involve loud noises, he would wear earplugs. He wanted to save his hearing and it also brought a smile to Akiza's face, which also made him happy. Besides the earplugs, Yusei also had an air horn in his right hand. He tiptoed up to Jack, making sure he was still asleep. Sure enough, he was and he leaned the air horn towards him. Yusei leaned back as far away as possible and then pushed down on the button.

(air horn)

Jack quickly wiggled his entire body and suddenly saw Yusei staring at him. "Yusei! What the..." As Jack said a strong swear, Yusei blew the air horn again, as he knew Jack would start swearing like crazy. Luckily, the air horn pretty much covered Jack's voice.

"(air horn!)" Jack suddenly felt his head and laid back down in pain. Yusei just had a smile on his face. "Every time you sear Jack, I'll blow the horn," Yusei informed him. That didn't keep Jack from yelling and swearing some more. Yusei had to listen until Jack started the word, just to make sure he was doing it at the appropriate times, and he did it surprisingly well. "Yusei! Once I (air horn) get over this (air horn) hangover, I'll kick the (air horn) out of your (air horn)!" Jack couldn't take it anymore and laid back down. Then, Yusei heard some footsteps coming from the stairs.

"Yusei! What the..." As Crow said a strong swear, Yusei blew the air horn yet again. Crow put his hands on his head and fell backwards. "Evey time you swear. I'll blow the air horn," Yusei notified Crow. Crow finally leaned forward. "Oh yeah? Well when you do I'll kick the (air horn) out of your (air horn) (air horn)." Crow's head couldn't take it anymore and he laid back down as well. Yusei looked between Jack and Crow, finding the whole joke/prank funny. As he stood, waiting for their next move, Yusei noticed it was still quite cold in the house. After he had laughed for a few moments, Jack and Crow's anger got them over their pain.

"Yusei!" Jack said angerly. He looked at Crow. "We're going to get you!" Yusei knew what was coming next and he got his finger ready. "You (long air horn)!" The air horn acted both a censor and starting notifier, as Jack and Crow got up. Yusei quickly ran towards the open door. Jack and Crow both stumbled from their still drunken state and Yusei watched in laughter. He then looked forward and skidded to stop. Jack and Crow followed him, before skidding to a stop as well. Yusei was in between them and they stood in a straight line. They all looked on as Zora had an upset look on her face.

"What's with all the noise? How can someone possibly..." Zora stopped as she then realized that two of the three men standing in front of her had no clothes on. She screamed in horror as Jack and Crow both raced up the stairs, trying not to be last. Zora followed them, as she ran towards the steps. "You two better have some underwear on when I get up there," she hollered from down below. Yusei interrupted her.

"I'm sorry about the noise," Yusei apologized. Zora turned around and went up to him with a smile. "Don't worry Yusei. You are perfectly entitled to do whatever you'd like. And the same goes for that woman Martha's told me so much about." She gave him a wink and Yusei blushed. Zora's face quickly turned from happy to angry, as she turned around and raced up the stairs.

"You two better have clothes on," she shouted, "And why is it so cold in here? Where do you people live? Antarctica?" Yusei could only laugh and shake his head as there was some more yelling upstairs. Yusei spotted a nearby trash can and spotted the bottle of sparking juice from the night before. It was still unopened. "Can't forget this," he sad to himself as he picked it up. He also knew that he should keep his air horn and ear plugs as well, as he didn't want Jack and Crow to get him back.

Still, what turned out to be a bizarre couple of days, Yusei had a very remember-able, and chaotic 21st Birthday.

**A/N: Again, I apologize for anything offensive in this Chapter. I also do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or it's characters.**

**I hope you enjoyed the Chapter and will keep reading my story, even if it is now technically M-rated (although this will probably be the worst Chapter in terms of that).**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18!**

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with me through the re-rating and I hope you enjoy this Chapter!  
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After Jack and Crow left, things started going back to normal. Jack finished 2nd in the league and vowed to get even better the next year. Crow's team took 5th and were very happy with the result, considering the transformation from a year ago. Another surprise came in the form of Leo and Luna.

The twins had sent e-mails back and forth with Dexter, trying to keep in touch with him. They talked about similar homework, Leo wanting to find out more about the Turbo Dueling world, and Luna was working towards a scholarship. Still, despite the fact that they had e-mailed and social media chatted with each other, they never video chatted or talked face-to-face. Leo and Luna had followed Yusei's guidelines and talked with both Akiza and himself numerous times. With that in mind, the twins felt guilty that they hadn't put the same effort in with Dexter.

One Friday night, Dexter was doing his usual Friday night routine: being alone. He had gone to Yusei's apartment and Yusei had visited a few times over the past few months, mostly to play video games. Still, Dexter was by himself most of the time, which left both advantages and disadvantages. He was sitting on his laptop, after school, when he heard that he was getting a video call. He was surprised when he saw who it was.

"Leo and Luna?" he asked and answered it. Sure enough, they popped up on screen. "Uh...hey guys! What's up?" Leo and Luna smiled. "We just wanted catch up with you Dex," Leo responded. Dexter adjusted his glasses. "Well...that's really thoughtful of you guys." He checked his watch and noticed that it was rather late where they were. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be up this late?" Luna nodded and Leo answered.

"Yeah! Our parents aren't here, so we can stay up as late as we want. Even if that means Luna can't handle it." Luna frowned and gave Leo a shoulder to the side of his stomach. "I can stay up late," she replied, "So anyways, how's school Dexter?" Dexter put a hand to his chin. "Uh..fine I guess."

"Did you get to learn about the Wright Brothers and the first airplanes? Man! Those guys were so cool! Maybe Luna and I could invent something! After all, we're twins. so that makes us closer than those two and..."

"Leo!" Luna screamed, "Let Dexter answer the question. Go ahead Dexter." Dexter smiled. "Thanks Luna." He then informed them that he had learned about them and they talked about other things that they leaned in school. They then talked about teachers and Luna couldn't help, but worry when Dexter talked about being alone most of the time.

"That must be really be lonely," Luna replied sadly. She leaned forward towards the lens. "Dexter, please don't be afraid to contact us. Okay?" Leo and Dexter were surprised by her concern. "Um...sure," Dexter replied and Luna smiled. Leo decided to change to a much more positive topic. He started telling them about wanting to become a Turbo Duelist just like Jack and Crow and they recalled how their friends' did during the season. Pretty soon Leo had to go to the bathroom and suddenly, it left Dexter and Luna by themselves.

"So...what do you wanna talk about?" Dexter asked and Luna gave him a shrug. With Leo, it made their conversations keep going, but as soon as he left, things were a lot quieter. When Leo came back, he was surprised by how quiet things were. "So...where did all the talking go?" Leo asked, "When I left, things were so lively and now things are so quiet." Luna decided to liven things up, by asking a question for Dexter. "So how's Sly?"

Leo's eyes suddenly turned upset. 'Sly?' he wondered. That wasn't exactly what he meant by getting a conversation going. "Oh he's fine," Dexter replied, "I think he's on the basketball team." Luna was surprised. "Really?" Luna asked. She was intrigued and wanted to learn more. Leo quickly tried to change the subject. "So...how about that...uh...cafeteria food huh?"

Dexter and Luna didn't respond. Instead, they continued talking about Sly and the basketball team. Leo didn't know what to do, so he just leaned on an armrest until they finished up. When they did, Luna turned to him. "Leo, are you all right?" Leo yawned and Luna stood up. Despite the cold weather, Dexter noticed that Luna was still wearing short shorts, as she comforted her brother. "I'm fine Luna. I'm just tired." Luna smiled at him. "And you were the one saying I couldn't stay up," Luna noted. Dexter checked his watch. It was 7 o'clock where he lived and he knew it was well past midnight for them.

"Well, I'd better be eating dinner," Dexter replied, "And I know it's getting late for you guys." Luna smiled as Leo continued to looked tired. "Thanks so much for talking with us Dexter. I hope we can do it again soon. Oh yeah! Happy Thanksgiving!" Dexter smiled. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I know Leo's probably excited for that." Leo slowly got up. "I'm too tired to get excited about food right now," he replied as he dragged himself to bed. Luna and Dexter looked at one another before smiling. "Bye Dexter see you later!"

"Bye!" Dexter replied and the screen shut off. Dexter smiled as he happily went to make himself dinner.

A few weeks late, Akiza was about ready to explode with excitement. She was going to get to home again, but this time would be a whole different experience. Yusei had already opened up to her in private, but now they would be opening up to each other in public. That meant more hugging, kissing, holding hands, and so many more displays of affection, that the both of them loved to both receive and give. When Akiza was on her flight back, she was trying to contain herself even as other passengers stared at her. She was probably more excited than the first time she got to fly back, since this one would finally let the world know about their love for one another.

When Akiza got off, she was quick to find her small bag of luggage. She then walked out of the terminal and started looking for her friends and family. For a long time, she couldn't find them. 'Where are they?' Akiza wondered.

Outside, a long limo was stuck in some heavy traffic. "Can't we go any faster?" Mr. Izinski asked the driver. He shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't go anywhere with a certain road being closed." Mr. Izinski frowned, as he wanted to see his daughter as soon as possible. Everyone else in the vehicle felt the exact same way.

Yusei, who was holding a bouquet of roses, looked at them. He always enjoyed giving her roses, as it brought a even brighter smile to her face. He couldn't wait to show Akiza he had gotten over his nervousness of showing affection in public. Yusei wanted to kiss her, hug her, hold in close, and hold her hand. Of course, he had on his brown gloves today, as the bitterly cold weather would have caused him to lose a finger or two after a short while. Yusei continued staring at the flowers, as the car slowly moved forward towards their destination.

Akiza sat down in a seat, near the gate of her arrival flight. Passengers were soon to board a now departing flight and Akiza hoped that her parents remembered the proper gate. She sadly waited and waited, not sure if they were going to arrive at all. She wondered if she should call them. 'But they didn't say they were going be late or not picking me up,' Akiza thought, 'After all, how would I get home in this bitterly cold weather?'

Akiza finally got up to release her bladder. After waiting for a few women, she got an open stall, and then came out. She sighed as she closed the door. She looked back at her gate and suddenly saw her family waiting for her. Akiza quickly waved her hand as she ran towards them. They were all smiles as she gave them each a hug.

"Where's Yusei?" Akiza asked as she looked around. She soon spotted him a short ways away with his jacket off, as Martha was holding it. Akiza ran towards him and Yusei showed her the flowers he got for her. She blushed and gratefully accepted them. The Izinski's and Martha looked at one another, expecting another awkward moment between the two younger people. Mr. Izinski took a step forward, before stopping himself as the three of them looked on.

Akiza and Yusei placed their arms around each other, as they continued to look deeply into the other's eyes. They spotted their parents at the corner of their eyes, but they knew what they had agreed upon. Their parents had no idea and both had refrained from telling them, as they wanted to show them that they could figure out problems on their own. Yusei and Akiza soon closed the small gap between them as they leaned forward and kissed.

Their parents looked on in surprise. Although, as the couple leaned back, Martha was the first to smile. She saw a warm glow in both of their expressions and they each looked very happy. Akiza parents took a moment, before realizing what was going on themselves. They saw how happy their daughter was and so was the man who was hugging her. They remembered how happy they were that night when they caught them saying goodbye and they could see the same expressions on their faces at that moment.

Yusei and Akiza pulled themselves closer. "I missed you," Yusei said softly. "I missed you too," Akiza replied and they shared one more brief kiss before a quick hug. Then then let go of one another and walked towards the older adults. "Surprised?" Yusei asked as they stopped walking. "Well...a little," Mr. Izinski admitted before looking at his wife. Martha smiled at him. "I'm sure you probably have a little more affection waiting for you at home, don't you Yusei?" Yusei looked away embarrassed, as everyone knew what Martha was talking about. They all headed to the limo, before getting caught up in heavy traffic again.

"So, was the traffic the reason you were so late to get me?" Akiza asked. Yusei nodded. "I'm sorry," he replied. Akiza put a hand on his knee, as they were sitting next to one another. "It's okay Yusei. It's not your fault there are a lot of cars on the road. " Yusei looked at Akiza once more and gave her a brief smile. They all waited about a half hour, before the traffic started moving again at a little faster rate.

When they got to the Izinski's, Yusei and Akiza left the limo for a more affectionate greeting. Once Akiza put the flowers away, they gently held one another, and kissed deeply. When they were finished, they leaned back. "Thanks Yusei," Akiza responded, "I needed that." Yusei just chuckled. "Hey so did I." They both laughed briefly before finally deciding to take a seat on the living room sofa.

A few minutes later, the adults arrived, and joined them. "So how was school this time?" Ms. Izinski questioned, "I know the first semester last year was very hard." Akiza smiled. "Well, this year I knew what was expected, so it was nearly as hard," Akiza replied, "But like last year, I was given a lot of support and encouragement." She looked at her parents and then at Yusei. "From all of you." Yusei nodded and the conversation soon turned to Christmas and what was going to happen. After they decided on the details, it was nearly five o'clock.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Mr. Izinski offered. Martha and Yusei looked at one another. "Sure. Why not?" Yusei replied and he put an arm around Akiza. Mr. Izinski smiled at the realization and he headed for the kitchen.

Later, the Izinski had the meal all set for them. They had some grilled chicken breasts and BBQ sauce. 'All right!' Yusei thought as he took a seat at the table. Akiza sat across from him, as he took off his brown gloves in preparation to eat. After they all said grace, Yusei was quick to dive in. At first, he was worried about eating properly in front of the Izinski's. But after he got tired of having to cut and slice every time he wanted chicken, he finally had enough.

'Screw it! I'm going in!' Yusei thought and he picked up a piece with his hands. He used his utensils for the side dishes, but he used his hands just for the chicken. It wasn't until he was on his second piece that Martha said something. "Yusei?" she questioned and Yusei looked up. Everyone else was staring at him. Martha made a wiping motion with her hand and Yusei looked down at his napkin. "Oh," he replied and got the BBQ sauce off of his hands and face. "It's...very good chicken," Yusei noted and Ms. Izinski smiled.

"It's made with my Mom's secret BBQ sauce," Akiza noted, "I could make it for you sometime." Yusei smiled. "That sounds great," Yusei replied. Ms. Izinski then informed them that the recipe was actually her mother's, so she couldn't take all of the credit. "Well...it's still good," Yusei replied as he dug into another piece. This time, he was a little more careful with how he ate with his hands. Once the meal was over, they all went back to the living room to talk some more.

After a short while, Yusei and Akiza were getting bored. "Do you want go upstairs to my room?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. They got up and turned to their parents. "We're going to my room," Akiza informed them as they headed for the stairs. "Okay, but no 'funny business' " Mr. Izinski informed them. The young couple convinced them that they weren't going to do that and they made their way up the long staircase.

When they got to the top, they took a right and passed the upstairs bathroom. They passed a closet before reaching Akiza's room. Yusei had been in it before, when Akiza and him worked together on her homework. This time, however, he felt a little different as he entered the room. The walls were pink and had some pictures of her family and friends. He noticed the familiar white desk and a clock nearby. Akiza had a white nightstand next to her bed, which had a dark red sheet on top and white underneath. Yusei noticed the room looked rather tidy, although he wondered if Akiza or her mother were the reason for that.

Akiza sat on the side of her bed and grabbed a remote. "Want to watch some TV?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. He sat down next to her and felt a little bit awkward. Akiza, although she didn't show it, felt the same. It was the first time, as a couple they had been in a bedroom and it felt a little bit awkward for them. Still, Yusei put a comforting right arm around Akiza, as he gently pulled her close. Akiza looked at him and Yusei figured he better explain himself.

"I like having you close to me," Yusei said in a soft voice. Akiza smiled and leaned her head on his manly shoulder. Yusei leaned gently on her head, as they continued watching TV.

It wasn't until 9:30 that Yusei and Akiza had a problem: they couldn't find anything to watch. "The news is going to be on in half an hour," Akiza noted, "Do you wanna go downstairs and see what my parents are watching?" Yusei shook his head. "I actually like sitting here with you," he replied, "It's kind of nice just the two of us." Akiza agreed and decided to switch to a program that would have the news following it. Unfortunately, it was a decision that would come back to haunt them.

It was an hour long show, so Akiza and Yusei were caught in the middle of it. From what they could piece together, a man was accused of hurting another person, and they wanted to take him into custody. The man was hiding out with his friends at a parking garage. Akiza noticed how the area they were in was rather poor and it reminded her of the former Satellite. When everyone came together, about 10 minutes before the end, the climax had begun. Fist started flying and an all out brawl started. Akiza turned to Yusei and wondered to herself.

'Did Yusei have to do this when he was growing up?' Akiza wondered, 'If that's true, how many fights has he gotten in? How many people has he hurt?' Akiza knew that Yusei didn't have the fighting physic that the men on screen had, but she still question when and how often the situation had occurred. Yusei noticed her looking at him and turned to her. "Akiza, is something wrong?" Akiza's face firmed up.

"Yusei, can we talk about something?" Yusei smiled, not knowing what the subject was, and he turned the TV off. He set the remote behind him as he turned to completely face her. "So what's up?" Akiza was a little afraid to ask the question, as the thought of Yusei being violent was a bit scary. Would he get defensive about it? If so, how he then react? If he did it often, would he try to hurt her? Still, they were a couple, and they were going to learn about the other sooner or later. Right now was a good opportunity.

"How often did you get in fights growing up?" Akiza finally asked. Yusei was a little surprised. "Fights? You mean like arguments or fist fights or..." Akiza jumped on his last response. "Fist fights!" Akiza said quickly, "How often did you get involved in physical contact?" Yusei and Akiza locked eyes. "Never," he replied firmly. Akiza was a bit skeptical. "Never?" she repeated. Yusei nodded. "Never."

Akiza looked away for a moment. Never? Even considering where he grew up he never got into hand to hand combat? _Not even once?_ What about the people around him? Akiza realized something and turned back to him.

"What about Jack and Crow? Aren't they rather violent?" Yusei was slow to Akiza's response. "Well...yeah..." Yusei admitted. "So, even though your best friends are violent, you still claim to have never been involved in punching or beating someone up?" Yusei had listened closely to what Akiza said and had to answer her question with a different answer. "Well...in the span of my entire life...I did have to beat up someone one time." Akiza's eyes grew wide as she gasped. Yusei was quick to add on...

"But I have a perfectly good reason for it." Akiza was confused. "Wait. You just said a minute ago that you never beat anyone growing up, but now you come out and say that you did." She leaned in close. "Are you lying to me?" Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza. The one time didn't happen while I was growing up, it happened _recently." _Akiza became worried and wanted answers right away. "When was it? Who was there? Why did you..." Yusei put both hands up in defense.

"Hold on Akiza. Let me explain." Akiza stopped talking. "All right. Go ahead," she replied and Yusei began.

"Okay. So the one time I beat somebody up, was at the Fortune Cup." Akiza gasped and couldn't contain herself. "The Fortune Cup? When you and I dueled!" Yusei had to give her an even worse detail. "Well...it was _after_ you and I dueled." Akiza's mouth was wide open and the TV remote fell from the bed, making the only noise in the room. Yusei finally started taking.

"Don't worry Akiza, I have a perfectly good reason for it," Yusei replied as he put his hand briefly onto her shoulder. He then leaned back and continued. "It was before Jack and I dueled and there were two security guards. I had to get to Jack, since there was very little time before the start of our duel. Plus, it was Jack Atlas. You need a lot of time to convince him of something. So, I was running towards a door with two security guards. I looked for any other way to confront them. They didn't have duel disks and neither did I. They yelled at me, meaning we couldn't talk things out. So...I had no other choice, and had to get physical." Akiza became worried and upset. Yusei put his hand back onto her shoulder. "But I assure you that's the _only _time I had to do that." Akiza wanted more answers.

"So you've never had to get physical with anyone else before, yet you manage to beat up two security guards? Where did you get your martial arts training? Huh Yusei?" Yusei leaned back and tapped his pointer finger next to his lip. "Uhh..." he said for a moment, before finally just admitting it, "I just pretended I was on one of those action movies or TV shows and it somehow it worked." He then chuckled awkwardly to himself, but Akiza didn't find it funny.

"You think this is funny? That this is all just a joke?" Akiza said in anger, "Well I don't think it's funny at all." Yusei's smiling face quickly turned serious. "Akiza I don't think violence is funny! I only use it as an absolute last resort! I would never want to hurt anyone..." His voice softened and a smile appeared on his face. "Especially you," he finished and gently rubbed his hand on Akiza's face, hoping it would help her understand.

Unlike the other times he touched her, Akiza leaned back and sounded as though he was hurting her. "Akiza what's wrong?" Yusei asked. He touched her face again with his hand and Akiza leaned farther back, trying to avoid him. "Please stop! Your hand is like sandpaper!" Yusei looked at his hand as he pulled it closer to him. Yusei had forgotten to get hand lotion the past few times he was at the store and the bitterly cold weather was only making his dry hands worse. Usually, extremely dry hands equaled a tough, violent person. Still, Yusei had to convince her that he was not that type.

"Akiza, I'm sorry! I just wanted to help you! I assure you Akiza, I do everything in my power to avoid violence! I would never willing slap, hit, punch, or hurt someone! Please Akiza! You have to believe me! I am not a violent person!" Akiza finally looked at him. "Well...your talking sure doesn't prove it. First you tell me that you've never hurt anyone only to come back and remember that you beat up not just one person but two! Who knows how many more people you've hurt or punches you've thrown. Maybe it's Jack and Crow who did this to you." Yusei shook his head.

"No Akiza! Anytime Jack, Crow, and I punched each other it was playfully! Sure, there was one time where I had to punch Jack, but..." Akiza gasped and pointed at him. "See! Another incident!" Yusei tried to talk to Akiza even more. "But Akiza, Jack was really trying to help me! He was trying to convince me that I had to fight the Dark Signers, but I didn't listen. So, he finally had enough, and started punching me! He did it to me three times before I finally punched back! I only acted in self-defense!" Akiza looked away.

"Another excuse as to why you were violent with someone? What's next?" Yusei still tried to convince Akiza that he only did it in self-defense. "Akiza, Jack's a very violent person. You know that!" Akiza had her arms folded and gave him a crossed look. "Well that explains where this side of you is from Yusei." Yusei sighed and tried once more to convince Akiza that these incidents were only mere accidents.

"Akiza! I'm not a violent person! I..." Akiza interrupted him. "Please! Just...just stop lying Yusei!" Yusei gasped and realized that there was no way for him to convince her that he was right. "I understand," he replied quietly as he got up and headed for the door. Akiza watched him and suddenly realized that this could be it. Could this be how they break up? Could Yusei not love her anymore? Akiza put all her anger aside and called out to him before he left the room. "Wait Yusei!" Yusei instantly stopped walking. The way Akiza had said his name screamed that there was a problem beyond what they were talking about. It screamed their whole relationship and Akiza was scared. Still, Yusei knew how he felt and he turned to his right, letting Akiza see his right eye. It took every ounce of Yusei's strength not to run over and comfort her, but he hoped his words would do that for him.

"Akiza. Don't worry. I'm not breaking up with you." Akiza managed a small smile and Yusei was more than happy to see it. "My love for you is as strong as it's ever been Akiza and that will never change." Akiza breathed a small sigh of relief. "But as for what we talked about, you'll have to learn that on your own. I assure you I'm not a violent person Akiza, but I want you to figure that out for yourself. When you do, come visit me at my place. Goodnight Akiza." He then opened the door. "Good night," Akiza said softly as he walked out.

At first, Akiza was revealed that this wasn't leading them to break up. At the same time, she just couldn't trust Yusei. First he said that he never beat up someone. Then he realized that he did. On top of that, he says that he only would playfully punch Jack and Crow, but later admitted that one time he was punching for real and doing it in self-defense. He had a reason for everything and it seemed too good to be true. Akiza always felt that she could trust Yusei, but this time, it was extremely difficult.

Yusei made his way down the steps. He didn't blame Akiza for feeling that he wasn't telling the truth. Still, he knew that there was a way for her to find out the facts. Once he made it to the bottom of the stairs, he looked into the living room. "Okay Martha. I'm ready to go." Martha got up. "Did you say goodbye to Akiza?" Yusei nodded. Although, it wasn't the goodbye he would have liked. Martha got her things and the two of them thanked the Izinski's for dinner and the night. They then headed out.

Akiza laid on her bed thinking. She wanted to trust Yusei and she wanted to believe he wasn't a violent person. But...with where he grew up and Jack and Crow's personalities, it was really hard to believe it. Still, Akiza had to figure out a way to know what really happened. It was then that she knew who to go to for answers and that person was Martha.

**A/N: Akiza and Yusei had their first fight and Akiza wants some answers.**

**A lot of things will happen next Chapter so stay tuned!  
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	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19!**

**A/N: How will Akiza and Yusei resolve their fight and what will happen on Christmas? It's all in this Chapter!  
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When Akiza awoke the next morning, she knew that she had to visit Martha right away. Now only did she worry that Yusei told her what had happened, but she also didn't want to ruin the mood for Christmas. It would be terrible to have such a special occasion be ruined by a fight between Yusei and herself. Plus, what would her parents think? Akiza remained quiet as she ate breakfast about the previous night's argument. When she was finished, she quickly got on her shoes.

"I'll be going to Martha's place," Akiza said quickly and was almost out the door, before her mother stopped her. "Martha's?" she asked, "Did she forget something last night?" Akiza looked over her shoulder. "Um...no," Akiza replied, "I just wanted to talk to her about something." Her father came over as well. "If you need to talk to her, why not over the phone?" Akiza thought for a moment, but couldn't figure out a good excuse. "I just...need to see her in person. That's all." Akiza quickly headed out.

"I'll be home for dinner," she called quickly, before her parents could ask her anymore questions. She quickly waved to limo driver and then hopped inside. The car started and Akiza was quickly on her way. As Akiza looked out on the sunny cold day, she wondered if Martha would tell her secrets about Yusei, that he hadn't told her yet.

The limo soon made it's way to, what was the Old Satellite, but was now a part of New Domino City. The roads were all paved and things looked really well kept. It wasn't long, before Akiza spotted a familiar house. The limo came to a stop and Akiza got out. As she looked on, Akiza started to wonder if Yusei told Martha what had happened over the past night. Of course, even though Yusei had started opening up, Akiza was sure he could remain quiet if he wanted to. She rang the doorbell and heard footsteps. Akiza was then met with a cheerful face.

"Akiza!" Martha said a little bit in surprise, "Did I forget something last night at your house?" Akiza shook her head. "No. I just...needed to talk to you about something." Martha gave her a look, that Akiza worried could mean "I know why you're here." Martha let her inside and Akiza took off her shoes, which had some snow on them.

Martha let her take a seat the kitchen table. She offered her something to drink. "Orange juice is fine," Akiza said and Martha poured her a large glass. She then took a seat across from her. "So, what are you here to talk to me about?" Akiza took a sip and thought for a moment. Martha didn't seem to hint that she knew what was going on. Akiza decided to avoid the details and get to just the straight facts.

"I wanna know about Yusei growing up," Akiza finally answered, "Was he very violent or did he get into a lot of fights?" Martha understood what Akiza was asking and had an idea. "Well, let me tell you something that happened very frequently when he was growing up."

_Martha Recalls_

Yusei, Jack, and Crow were all walking home. They were in their early teens and it was before they had ever met Kalin. Yusei had a smile on his face, as he had his duel disk on his long left arm. Jack and Crow were to his left and right, but it was noticeable that Jack was upset about something. After a few moments of silence, Yusei finally spoke up.

"So, we all won our duels huh? Isn't that great? We all did such a good job." Jack crossed his arms and gave out a sarcastic laugh. "Ha! All of us? I'm pretty certain it wasn't _all of us."_ They all stopped walking. "What do you mean Jack?" Yusei asked, although he was pretty certain what he meant. "I mean, one of us almost lost." He pointed a finger. "And that was you Crow!" Crow gave him a sly smile.

"Yeah. _Almost lost. _But I didn't lose did I?" Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you keep coming close to losing. I sometimes wonder if you're good enough to be hanging around with Yusei and me. We're so much better than you." Crow growled and made a fist. "When my back's against the wall, that's when I duel my best," Crow fired back, "You think you're so great, just because you face the easiest opponents. When you have to face the toughest one there, you'll just back away if it means a loss." Yusei was happy to be in-between the two of them, as he quickly tried to dissolve the situation.

"Come on you guys. Let it go. We all won our duels, we had fun, and now we get to go home for dinner." Yusei looked at both of them, but Jack and Crow weren't in the mood for talking. "Yeah, well maybe there will be one less mouth to feed," Jack said as Crow and him locked eyes. "Well see about that!" Crow countered and took a swing at Jack. Yusei quickly turned to Crow and put both hands on his shoulders. He could have taken on Jack, who he was facing before. However, Yusei had tried that once and, lets just say that Jack's height made it easy to shove Yusei out of the way. It ended up causing Jack and Crow to fall on the ground and trying to ring the other one's neck.

Back in the present, Yusei was basically a referee, and trying to keep Jack and Crow from ripping the other's head off. Yusei was barely able to hold Crow back and he worried that he would break through. He didn't want things to get out of control and didn't want someone to get hurt. He tried to plead with the two of them and tried to tell them to calm down. Still, with Jack and Crow in the heat of the moment, they weren't going to listen. Crow tried to swing one more punch towards Jack and he brushed Yusei's shoulder. Jack tried a swing and he brushed Yusei's shoulder as well. Yusei let go of Crow and leaned over.

Was Yusei in extreme pan? No. So then why was Yusei acting as though he was hurt? Because it got Jack and Crow to stop trying to cream each other.

"Look what you did Jack! You hit Yusei," Crow exclaimed, "Come on Yusei. Lets got home." Jack was quick to go over to him as well. "No Yusei! It's Crow's fault. Lets go home." Under Yusei's pained expression, he managed a smile. They weren't far from Martha's and Yusei managed to walk comfortably, with Jack and Crow now trying to make him feel better, as they forgot what they were arguing about. When they got to Martha's, the two of them ran up to her.

"Martha!" they shouted. "Yusei was bruised," Crow said quickly. Yusei walked up and stood next to Martha. "Oh. And how did that happen?" Martha asked knowingly. Jack and Crow froze. "It's his fault!" Jack and Crow screamed as they pointed at one another. Martha smiled. "Well. Lets go inside and talk," Martha replied and they all headed inside.

When they sat down, Martha checked Yusei, but as usual it didn't look like much. "All right. Yusei's going to be fine," Martha announced, "So, who was to blame for this?" Jack and Crow still gave her the same answer. "It's all his fault!" they both replied as they pointed their finger at each other. Martha frowned. "I see. I guess I'll have to go to the only neutral party in all of this." She turned to Yusei. "So what happened?"

Yusei looked at his friends, as they smiled, and tried to get him to blame the other. Still, Yusei was going to give Martha the truth. "Jack was the one who started it by saying how Crow was a bad duelist." Jack scowled as Crow smiled proudly, but Yusei had more to say. "But Crow was the one who threw the first punch. Jack got upset and swung back. They both continued arguing and I had to play as the referee, to keep them from hurting each other." Now Jack was smiling and Crow was frowning.

"So it's both of your faults," Martha concluded. Jack was quick to stand up. "But Crow was the first to try and hit me! Actions speak louder than words!" Crow quickly came to his own defense. "But Jack was the first to start it! The entire incident goes back to he started it first." Martha shook her head. "You're both at fault," she replied firmly, "As punishment, the two of you are going to have to do the dishes for the rest of the week." Jack and Crow frowned. "But Martha," they whined, but it was no use. "No," she almost shouted, "Now go to your rooms and think about what you did."

Jack and Crow slumped over and made their way to their respected rooms. Martha then got up and got Yusei a glass of water. "So, you had to keep them from hurting each other again?" Martha asked and Yusei nodded. He took a sip of water. "You know, I'm glad that I have someone who's as nonviolent as you Yusei. Without you, I don't know what would have happened to Jack and Crow."

_Martha ends Flashback_

"So...Yusei had to keep Jack and Crow from fighting a lot?" Akiza asked and Martha nodded. "Was he ever hurt?" Martha shook her head. "Once Yusei found out that Jack and Crow stopped fighting the moment he got hurt, he started to do it every time. He got a bruise the first couple of times, but it was never serious or anything." Akiza thought for a moment.

"What about when they dealt with other people? Weren't there fist fights with other people?" Martha thought about Akiza's question. "I'm sure there were fist fights in the Satellite. However, I know that Yusei was never involved in them. He never came home with any bruises or anything like that. If he was ever in a disagreement, he used his words to talk things out or, worst case scenario, his duel disk to solve his problems. After all, wasn't that how he talked to you?" Akiza's mouth dropped.

It was. The way Yusei talked to her, was not just with his words, but also his duel disk. Yusei had, in just one duel, changed her from hating her parents to wanting to be loved by them. If Yusei wanted to, he could have beaten the snot of her, trying to convince her that she was wrong. But he didn't. Instead, he had used his consistent talking and dueling to convince her. To read her mind and to get her to change her feelings about them. Still, she had some confusion about the events Yusei had told her about.

"Did Yusei tell you about the fight he had at the Fortune Cup and the fight he had with Jack before the Dark Signers." Martha nodded. "I know about the battle with the security guards, but he had no other choice. He didn't have his duel disk, the time to talk, and I'm sure those guards didn't want to talk either. I know it wasn't the decision that he wanted to make, but it was one he had to. As for the Jack fight, it's Jack. Plus, I know that even Jack's words were louder than his punches. He was only trying to help Yusei and he only punched back in self-defense." Akiza took a moment to let all the information sink in.

"I know Yusei comes off as a guy who might throw a punch at a moment's notice, but that's really the complete opposite. His friends, on the other hand, are a little more willing to get physical. At the same time however, deep down inside, if it came to seriously hurting one of their friends, they wouldn't do it. No matter how angry they are." Akiza looked up at Martha. "I know those three better than anyone and let me tell you that if you're worried about Yusei being violent, then that's one of the last things you should have to worry about." Akiza smiled. "Unless of course you want a violent boyfriend who punches and kicks and..."

"No. No," Akiza said happily, "I'm perfectly happy having a nonviolent boyfriend."

Martha was right. Yusei wasn't violent, even with his background and friends. Now she felt guilty for not listening to him. After all, she couldn't remember the last time Yusei lied to her. Still, she had a chance to make things right. "Well...thanks for everything Martha. I've got to go." She got up and headed for the door. "Oh Akiza!" Martha called to her before she could get out, "Is that all you were here for?" Akiza nodded and ran out before Martha could say anything more.

Akiza's driver obeyed the speed limit, as she made her way to New Domino City's apartments. When Akiza got to the Tops, she hopped in the elevator. To be honest, Akiza didn't just want to see Yusei to apologize, but she just wanted to see him in general. Every getting to feel and be with him was a treat for her, especially when she had to wait three months just to see him again.

When she got to his apartment, Akiza hoped that Yusei wouldn't be too upset with her. She rang the doorbell and waited. She heard footsteps and, as soon as the door opened, she wrapped her arms around the man who was standing there. "Yusei! I'm so sorry!" Yusei just stood there stunned. He took a moment to realize what was going on. Akiza looked up to him with pleading eyes.

"Akiza, why don't you come inside?" Yusei asked and Akiza looked down. Yusei gently shut the door and Akiza headed for the couch. Before she could make it there, Yusei put his arms around her middle. "Wait Akiza," he said in a gentle voice. Akiza turned around and tilted her head slightly upwards. Yusei had a gentle smile and he didn't seem upset at all. Akiza felt even more guilty and the possibility that Yusei could be faking it raced through her mind.

"I'm...I'm sorry Yusei," Akiza said sadly and tilted her head downward. Yusei put his hand under her chin and made her look up at him. "Akiza. It's okay. I don't blame you for thinking that I'm a violent person. A lot of people think that about me." Yusei tilted his head sideways. "So I don't blame you and I'm not upset. I'm just happy that your learned the truth, however you found out." Akiza shook her head.

"Yusei. You don't deserve me. I was so quick to judge you, even when you told me the truth. You...you deserve someone better than me." Yusei shook his head. "No way Akiza! I don't need someone better than you! I love you Akiza!" Akiza didn't listen and continued to tone him out. "I was the one responsible for our fight and I should be punished." Akiza looked up at him. "If there's someway you wanna punish me then I fully accept it." Yusei was at a loss for words.

"Akiza," Yusei finally manged to calmly speak as he pulled her closer to him, "I'm no going to punish you. Okay?" Yusei managed to stay calm, even when many other people would have exploded. "I love you Akiza and I would never punish you. That's now how I want our relationship to work." Akiza looked at him and was baffled.

"I want us to forgive each other. Okay? I'm sorry that I was so cold to you and I'm sorry that I forced you to come all the way over hereto apologize. I've been doing a lot of thinking Akiza and what I said to you last night was not the right thing to do. You should always be able to talk to me about anything Akiza. I want you to know that no matter what the subject, the time of day, where you are, or anything, that you can always come to me for support." He then nodded his head towards Akiza.

"And I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you. I've never seen you be violent with anyone else before Yusei and I should know from experience that it isn't like you to throw punches. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, but now I know that you're a nonviolent guy. I also want you to know that I'm a nonviolent person too and I'm grateful that you didn't hurt me at all, both last night and tonight."

The two of them now had smiles on their faces. They leaned forwards and kissed on the lips. "I love you," Akiza said softly. "I love you too," Yusei replied as they stared into each other's eyes. "No hard feelings?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. "So...um...we are alone and we did just make up," Akiza noted as she looked around the apartment. Yusei smiled. "Are you saying we could..." Akiza nodded and before Yusei could respond, they quickly started making out.

About a week later, they all got together for Christmas Eve. Yusei made sure to be a little cleaner, as they all sat around and ate dinner. "Look at how neatly Yusei's eating," Akiza kidded as Yusei looked up from eating his sandwich. "Yes, he's eating like a big boy," Martha continued. Ms. Izinski had to get into the conversation. "It only took him 21 years!" Everyone, but Yusei started laughing loudly.

The next day, Yusei and Akiza had their gifts all set. Yusei wasn't sure if his gift was much better than it was the year before. He had tried to think really hard on something Akiza could use, especially considering the fact that she wasn't around New Domino City very often. He hoped that Akiza wouldn't be too disappointed as he had gotten it quite a while ago.

When Yusei arrived at the Izinski's, Akiza wondered where Yusei's gift was. He wasn't holding it and it wasn't to be seen. "Um...come inside you guys," Akiza finally replied, trying to be a good host. She led them to the living room and didn't see Yusei put a gift under the tree. Akiza saw what she had gotten for Yusei and she now worried that it wasn't that he didn't get her a gift. _He got her a very expensive gift._

Akiza sat down as the five of them continued to chat about different events in their life. Akiza could feel the nervousness in her stomach. After what had happened a week ago, Akiza hoped that her gift would be good enough for him. Despite making up, Akiza felt like she should go the extra mile and paid a little more than the gift she had originally planned. She squirmed in her seat when her parents said it was time to open the gifts.

"We'll open our gifts in another room," Martha informed the couple, "We'll leave you guys alone." They picked up their boxes and headed for another room. Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. "Well, lets get this over with," Yusei said as he went from the sofa to his hands and knees. Akiza watched him and slowly followed his lead. She got down and they faced one another. Akiza turned towards the tree and grabbed a medium sized box.

"Here you go Yusei. Merry Christmas." Yusei accepted the gift and gently took the paper off. He even started taking the tape delicately off, as if it was the only tape left of the face of the earth. "Yusei, you don't have to be so gentle. You can tear the paper," Akiza reminded him, but Yusei didn't listen. He kept taking the paper off, before he found a box for a clothing store.

'I wonder what clothes Akiza got me,' Yusei wondered as he lifted the top of the box off. He removed some tissue paper, before finding another box. He was surprised at what it was.

"An electric shaving razor!" Yusei said in surprise, "I needed one of these! How'd you know?" Akiza's cheeks tickled pink. "I heard Martha tell my parents that you were complaining about your razors being too dull. When she told me how old it was, I figured that you could use an upgrade." Yusei went over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It's definitely a gift I can use. Thank you so much Akiza!" Akiza smiled and now waited for her gift.

"So...do you have a gift for me?" Akiza finally asked. "Of course," Yusei replied, "Just one moment." Yusei stood up and then took out an envelope from his pocket. He then handed the envelope to her. Akiza was surprised as she felt it. There was clearly something thick inside, probably a gift card. The only trouble was where could it be? Plus, would she have to spend it right away, since she was going to be leaving soon?

Unlike Yusei, Akiza opened the envelope quickly and found a card on the inside. She read:

"I hope that this Christmas gift is good enough for you." She opened the next side. "Because if you don't, I'll look like a fool. Merry Christmas." Akiza saw Yusei's signature on the bottom and then a small gift card. "This is for Sandy's," Akiza noted and Yusei nodded. He moved closer to her.

"Your mom said that this is the place where you go shopping for school supplies," Yusei noted, "So I thought that, for next year, if there is anything you need to buy, you can use this." Akiza smiled. "Yusei. That is so thoughtful of you." She then saw how much the dollar amount was for. "Yusei. You didn't have to spend so much." He wrapped her in a hug. "But I wanted to make sure it was enough for you to get everything you need," Yusei replied, "I hope this is enough." Akiza blushed. "It most certainly is. Thank you." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Yusei smiled and gave her a kiss back. "Merry Christmas," they said to one another.

"So, did you two enjoy each other's gifts?" Martha asked as she leaned in the entryway. She was holding a camera and so was Ms. Izinski, as she stepped inside. "We sure did," Yusei replied, "Both of them are things that we'll use." Akiza and Yusei put the gifts behind them as they pushed themselves closer together. Their parents then took a few pictures in front of the tree. Afterwards, they all sat around, drinking hot chocolate and apple cider. Yusei had his arm around Akiza, as he pulled her in close, and gave her a kiss cheek. "Merry Christmas," he said softly to her and Akiza replied with the same saying.

"Akiza," Mr. Izinski spoke up, "I never thought you would fall in love with such a violent rebel." Akiza blushed, as Martha spoke up. "Mr. Izinski, my Yusei has never been a _violent rebel."_ She looked towards the young couple. "Deep down inside, he's always been a kind, loving sweetheart." Yusei looked away bashfully as the parents laughed at his reaction. Akiza stared at him for a moment and then put a hand on his right shoulder. Yusei opened his eye and looked over his shoulder. Akiza leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"But that's what I love the most about you," Akiza said softly into his ear. Yusei looked surprised at Akiza for a moment, as the young woman gave him a smile. After looking surprised for a moment, Yusei leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Akiza closed her eyes as he kissed and the two of them looked over at their parents, who were now talking about something else.

Maybe Yusei wasn't the violent person that many people had thought him out to be and that did have some drawbacks. At the same time however, if it meant Akiza loved him even more and made their relationship stronger, Yusei would happily show this side of him with open arms.

**A/N: Next Chapter: Crow finds out something that makes him afraid to talk to all of his friends. Find out what next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20!  
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**A/N: Some Jack/Carly in this Chapter along with some Crow as well. Hope you enjoy it!  
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Akiza and Yusei had a cheerful New Year, before Akiza headed back to school. Yusei surprised her with some sparkling juice and they shared the said bottle. Mr. Izinsi offered Yusei a more adult beverage, but he declined and chose to stay away from any alcohol. The two of them kissed at midnight and they said goodbye to one another at Akiza's before heading out.

As the season started for Jack and Crow, Akiza was already back in the classroom and everything was back to it's normal schedule. For Crow, he knew that his season was going to be different than the year before. With his team coming in fifth place, their expectations were going to be higher, and a shot at the championship was not out of the question. For Jack, his usual goal was to be number one and with finishing second the year before, Jack knew that it wouldn't take much for him to move up just one spot.

For Jack, trying to be number one meant that you were under the spotlight most of the time. Constantly having to give interviews and having cameras around meant almost no time alone. Of course, that wasn't always a bad thing. With Carly traveling with him, it meant that he got to spend time with the woman who he loved.

For Carly, she had to still report back for her news articles. However, when you have the inside scoop to one of the top duelists in the world, it made things a whole lot better. Still, Carly had to have her stories go through not one, but two editors: her boss and Jack. Despite the fact that Carly's stories were about as close to the truth as you could get coupled with the fact that the person she was writing about loved her, Jack still wanted to double check what Carly wrote before it went to the public. Jack was constantly checking her stories to make sure it didn't put him in a bad light (although that had so far never happened).

After Jack won the second event of the season, he was in his hotel room, trying to constantly watch or read about his latest victory. Carly was there as well, typing up her story for the following day. She wanted to make sure she got it in time for both her editor as well as her "personal editor." As she finished typing on her laptop, Carly smiled and then turned to Jack as he leaned against the headboard of the bed. "Do you want to look over my latest scoop?" Carly asked.

"If it involves me, then I think you know the answer," Jack replied as he scooted over for his girlfriend to lay next to him. He then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "If it passes the test then the two of us could do that...thing that you really like to do." Carly smiled and _really _hoped that Jack would accept her story. Jack read through it, enjoying the moments of his sweet victory and his celebration. He finally handed the computer back to her.

"Looks good," Jack replied, "Send it in right away." Carly nodded and quickly sent it to her publisher. Once she made sure it was sent, she shut down the laptop. "So...do you think we can do that...thing." Jack nodded. "Sure, but let me take a shower first." And with that, Jack got up and started taking his clothes off as he headed for the shower. Jack made sure he was slow enough, so that Carly got a few good looks at his ripped arms and chiseled chest. Carly was about to drool, as Jack stepped inside the small bathroom and shut the door. Carly then got up and got ready as well.

For Crow, he was surfing the net as he laid down in his hotel room a couple of states away. The team took a disappointing seventh in the tournament and he didn't feel like doing anything for the rest of the night. His friends, meanwhile, were a little more happy as they entered his room. "Come on Crow," Chris said as he looked at his friend, "Lets go hit a bar and try to brush off our disappointment." Crow continued staring at the screen.

"I don't feel like it," Crow replied and he started typing something up. Daniel frowned. "Come on Crow! The best thing to do is not let this kind of stuff get to you. There's always next week. Heck, maybe we'll be in the winner's circle." Crow shrugged. "Yeah I guess," he replied with still some skepticism. "That's the spirit," Chris said as his short brown hair was now a bit longer, "Lets go dancing or something. What do ya say?" Crow still looked upset. "Well go anywhere you want," Daniel added. Crow smiled. If he was in control then maybe he could do something to make himself happy. "All right," Crow replied, "Lets go!"

As Crow and his teammates left the hotel, it was already dark, as it was only the beginning of March. Luckily they were in an area that was much warmer than New Domino City's weather, as they didn't need coats to keep them warm. Despite not being familiar with the night scene of the area, they never needed any place fancy. All they wanted was a few good drinks and a place to have fun.

They walked a few blocks before finding a few restaurants and bars in a small area. "Which one should we go to?" Daniel asked, "I'm hungry for some buffalo wings!" Crow and Chris looked at the different places. "How about that one?" Chris suggested, "There's a lot of people going into that one." Crow nodded. "Yeah! The more people going, the better chance it's a good place." They all smiled and headed for the restaurant. They all showed the bouncer their ID's, which he scanned to make sure they were legal. Once they were verified, they all headed inside.

"There sure are a lot of guys here," Chris noted, but Crow had his eyes on the brightly lit dance floor. "Come on! Lets go dance!" Crow said excitedly. He started running towards it, before Daniel called back to him. "Hold on Crow! Lets get a table and some drinks first." Crow stopped and then headed back over to his friends.

A nice young man, about their age came over and took their orders. "This is our first time coming here," Daniel noted. The waiter smiled. "Oh you're just going to love it here," he said in a higher pitched tone, "I'll get you your drinks and be right back!" The waiter left them and they watched as a lot of people, mostly men, danced on the dance floor. The music was rather catchy and, before they realized it, their drinks were served.

"Can I get some hot wings?" Daniel asked and the waiter nodded. Once he got his wings, Daniel dove into them. "Man! This wings are the bomb!" he said happily and quickly got another one. "I know," Chris said, "My drink's fantastic!" Crow took a sip of his drink and then got up. "I'm going to hit the dance floor. Do you guys wanna join me?" They both shook their heads. "We'll stay here," Chris replied, "You go ahead." Crow gave them a thumbs up and then ran for the floor. Crow instantly got into the music and started dancing. Chris and Daniel smiled.

"It sure is nice to see Crow in a better mood," Chris said as Daniel ate another wing. They both watched as Crow really seemed to be enjoying himself as his friends were too. After a couple of songs, Crow was tired and headed back to his table. "Wheew! I'm tired," Crow said as another techno song started. He took a few sips of his drink, before he finally finished it off. He then asked a waiter going by if he could have another drink.

"You sure are enjoying yourself," Chris replied. "Yeah," Crow answered, "Aren't you guys?" Chris looked to Daniel. "Oh yeah," Daniel replied, "It's just that there are a lot of guys here." Crow just swung his hand. "Aww! But that means we don't have to have any chicks on our back. It's a guys night out!" Crow had his drink set in front of him and he thanked the man for it. "Besides, we got good drinks, good food, and..." A song started as Crow put his hand in the air. "And good music!" he proclaimed as he then headed back to dance floor. Chris and Daniel looked on.

Later, after they had some more fun and drinks, they all headed back to the hotel for some rest. Their next stop was Arizona, so they knew that it would be a long week ahead of them. As Daniel was getting ready for bed, he heard a door knock. Since they had made enough money from past tournaments, they were able to afford single rooms for this tournament and the next. 'Come in," Daniel replied as he finished folding a pair of pants. It was Chris.

"Hey Dan, I just wanted to ask you something." He went up to him and they talked in a whisper. "Didn't it seem like Crow was having a lot of fun at that club tonight?" Dan shrugged. "Yeah, but so what?" Chris leaned in closer. "Well wasn't that place a...you know."

"Gay bar? Yeah, I noticed that too." Chris was worried. "Do you think...maybe Crow..." Daniel shrugged. "Crow had some fun tonight and that was much more fun than if he was moping around. Besides, they had some awesome food and drinks. I would go there again the next time we have a tournament here." Chris nodded. "Yeah. I would too." They both shrugged it off and said good night to one another.

A few days later, the three teammates had made their way across the country and so did their runners. They all met up at the track for some practice duels. "It's great to see you guys again," Crow said as they gave each other fist bumps, "Do you want to head out after the brackets are announced?" Daniel and Chris remembered their night out a few days ago. "Sure thing," they replied. They pushed their runners out to the pit lane, before getting the okay.

Once they were finished, they all headed out, this time in a much better mood. They had a much easier bracket than the week before and they definitely thought they could win. They headed out for a regular bar and grill this time. As they talked, ate, and drank, Crow was a little saddened. He really enjoyed the brighter, happy atmosphere that they were at last week. It wasn't that the place they were at was bad, it just didn't have the same appeal. He hoped that maybe they could go out after the tournament was over, maybe even with a possible victory.

Unfortunately for Crow, Sunday didn't end with a victory. They made it to the finals, but the top tram had an easy time with them, as they got swept 3-0. Crow and his team were disappointed, but he tried to look on the bright side. "At least we finished higher than 7th," Crow noted about dropping the ball last week. Once they had packed up their runners and the trailer hauled them off, they were ready for some celebration.

As they walked through the town, Crow could hear the distant techno music again and he smiled once he saw a small nightclub. "Lets go in there!" Crow said as he pointed at it. Chris and Daniel looked at one another. "Okay," Chris replied and they headed for the restaurant. Once they got their drinks, Crow was instantly ready to hit the dance floor. The food and drinks weren't bad, but Chris and Daniel could sense a feeling of uneasiness in themselves. Being around so many men like this was well...awkward.

Still, they stayed at the club for the night as they enjoyed watching Crow have fun. Crow convinced them that they should try at least one dance, but after just one song, the two of them retreated back to their table, with their drinks in hand. Crow meanwhile stayed for a few more songs and felt right at home where he was. Still, he was almost delirious as to where he was exactly. He just thought that he was hanging out with a bunch of guys, having a good time. Crow had an easy time falling asleep, as much of the night's dancing wore him out.

After a week off, Crow's team was heading to a place that was not on the schedule a year ago: Mexico. Crow was ecstatic that they were heading back for not one, but two events (with the other later in the year). The complex for it was required to make some upgrades, before the league would come back, and that's why they did not host a event the prior year. With them completing the renovations earlier that expected, the league offered them not one, but two events as a reward. To help with going south of the border, Crow and his teammates decided to go shopping a few days before they left for some new and updated traveling supplies.

As they walked around the mall, they got some basic necessities like extra water, small carrying bags, and other travel items. As they walked down a long, wide hallway, Crow spotted a ear piercing shop. He watched as a middle aged girl was getting her ears done. Crow and his friends looked at all the different earrings that they could get.

"Look at those nice diamonds," Chris and Daniel said as they looked at one of the racks. Crow was looking at the one next to them. He hand an eye on one which was a long and yellow colored, almost in the shape of a bottle. Still, that wasn't what caught Crow's eye about it. What he really liked, was the clear string that held it up, as it even fooled Crow when he first saw it. It made it look as though it was hanging in mid-air. For Crow, that screamed the word "awesome."

"Look at this one!" Crow said as he directed his friends to the earring. They both looked at it in a dissatisfied mood. "Crow, I've only seen homosexuals wear those," Daniel noted. Crow was stunned. "What? No way! Lots of guys would find this cool!" Chris gave him a sad look. "Sorry Crow, but I agree with Dan. Only gay guys wear that." Crow was still disappointed. If he ever had his ear pierced, he wanted that as his first one, but it turned out that it was for homosexuals. He sighed and tried to look at the other ones. Nothing really caught his eye like the first one did and they quickly moved on.

Later, the three of them drove across the border and into Mexico. When they got to the track, things had been upgraded. Although, there were still a few notable things hadn't really changed. "I can't believe we have to come here twice," Daniel muttered under his breath as he read a brochure about the track, "They didn't even repave the track. Look! There's a crack right there!" Crow leaned over and rubbed it.

"Yeah, but there's history here! Do you know how many people have won here?" Dan and Chris rolled their eyes. "But Crow! There's another big problem! They still didn't fix the..." Crow was lost in his own world as he had tuned them out. He was caught up in the history and weekend that he didn't hear them continue to talk. "All right," Crow said after looking around some more, "Lets get ready for the weekend."

The following day, Crow carried his bag of stuff into the locker rooms. Chris and Daniel were there, but Crow didn't see as much of their usual things. "Hey, where is all your stuff?" Crow asked as he peered into each of their lockers. "Oh, we're going to shower when we get back to hotel," Chris replied. Crow looked puzzled. "What do you mean? We have individual showers like we always do." Daniel shook his head. "No. That's one of the things that upsets me the most. We have one big shower room like we're in a junior high gym or something." Crow's eyes grew wide.

"I...I didn't know that," Crow replied, "I brought my stuff like normal." Chris and Daniel shrugged. "You could shower when you get back to the hotel," Daniel suggested, but Crow brushed it off. "Nah. I don't want to be all sweaty until I get back. I'll just go in there and everything we'll be fine. We're all adults and can handle it." Chris and Daniel looked at one another. "Okay," they replied skeptically and shut their locker doors. "Come on, lets go hit the track."

It was a sweltering hot day and everyone was hot and sweaty. Once they were all done with testing and practice, Crow watched as his teammates took their stuff and left. "See you later," Crow said to them and took his stuff to the showers. Crow put a towel on his lower area and then headed for the showers. It had a white sheet in front of it, to keep people from looking inside. When Crow moved it and stepped in, he was surprised to see how many guys were in it.

Crow looked around and soon found an empty shower nozzle. He hung his towel up and started the water. Crow quickly realized how cold it was and quickly turned it to a warmer setting. He had to fight with it to get the setting he wanted, but he soon found it. After a moment, Crow decided he had to look around and face the crowd of guys in the room.

He looked over and noticed that many of them had a lot of things in common: toned abs, ripped arms, tight butts, and _other things._ Plus, they were all soaking wet, with water and soap. To be honest, like at the club, Crow felt like he belonged here. He was with guys that were just like him. At the club, everyone just wanted to have fun, dance, eat, drink, and just enjoy themselves. Here, Crow felt the same way, as he enjoyed being with guys who loved dueling, working out, and hanging out.

As Crow looked around, he noticed one of the guys eying him. He smiled and gave a gentle wave. Crow smiled back and waved as well. He looked in another direction and another duelist did the same thing. Crow waved back and smiled. 'I've seen these guys around, but they've never been so nice to me,' Crow thought as he put some shampoo/conditioner into his orange hair. He rubbed it into his hair before leaning his head back and shaking. Part of it flew into the man in the next door shower.

"Sorry," Crow quickly apologized. "That's all right," the man replied and looked down. "You're looking good." Crow smiled. "Thanks. So are you." Crow then went back to finishing up, before finally shutting the shower off and reaching for his towel. He put it around his lower regions, before walking out and back to his locker. After getting dressed in some more casual clothes, the man he hit with shampoo came up to him.

"Hey Crow! How are you doing?" he asked and stuck out his hand. Crow returned the gesture and the man was a few inches taller than him with a black crew cut hair. He had tan skin and the clothing he wore was tight, to show off his muscles. "Um...good," Crow replied, "Aren't you from that one team. Team..." Crow honestly didn't remember the name, so his new friend finished the sentence.

"Team Snake?" he finished, "Yeah. I'm Chad and I couldn't help, but notice that you're totally ripped." Crow got a confident smile. "Thanks," he replied, "I like to stay in shape whenever possible. I've got a _friend_ who's not as good looking as me and I always get make fun of him for it." Crow and Chad laughed. "Yeah, I know what you mean," Chad replied, "Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to hang out tonight." Crow was surprised by his sudden request, but he had to decline.

"Sorry Chad. I wish I could, but I've got plans with my teammates. Maybe some other time?" Chad nodded. "Sure and uh..." He winked at Crow. "See ya tomorrow?" Crow shrugged. "Yeah. See ya!" They waved to one another as they left.

After hanging out with his teammates for a little while, Crow headed for his hotel room. He wanted to have some personal time to himself. He logged onto the internet and replied to Yusei and the twin's messages for him, telling him that he arrived safely. He then checked out some dueling information, before finally deciding to watch some TV.

"Lets see what's on," Crow said as he turned it on. He flipped through a few channels before finding some basketball to watch. As he did, he thought to himself. 'That sure was a nice play,' Crow thought as they showed a replay, 'I wonder what the guys look like naked.'

Crow quickly put his hand to his head. What kind of thought was that? Crow didn't get why he thought what he did and focused back on the game. As he watched some more, he watched a player go up for a lay up. Again, he thought to himself. 'I wonder how big those guys are downstairs.' Again, Crow had to rethink about what just went through his mind. He decided to change the channel to something else. He found a show where a man and woman were talking to one another. He smiled as the man had his shirt off.

"That guy looks really good with his shirt off," Crow said aloud, as it reminded him of earlier in the night. Crow suddenly realized what he had thought out loud. Why was he saying things like this? He is straight after all. He decided that all he needed was to see a woman in something skimpy and these odd thoughts will go away. He turned to another man and woman in a show and the woman was in her bra and panties.

"Now that's more like it," Crow said aloud to himself. After a moment, Crow watched the man slowly take off his shirt. The only problem was that, not only was Crow thinking the man looked good (and was better looking than the woman), but his body was also responded in the same way. The man was wearing very tight pants and Crow could easily see what was being covered. Crow was suddenly taking quick breaths and he suddenly realized what was happening. He quickly shut off the channel, as a low angled shot showed off the man's lower area being covered by his tight pants.

'What am I doing?' Crow thought, 'Why am I having these thoughts?' He didn't know who to talk to. He had always thought he was into women and not men. Now, he wasn't sure, but from what his body was telling him, it was men. Crow put his hands to his head.

"Am...am I gay?"

**A/N: These two Chapters (this and the next) are mostly Crow centered with Jack/Carly in it too. I thought I'd change it from so much Yusei/Akiza.**

**I hope you are enjoying it and come back for part 2 of this two part mini-arc  
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	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21!  
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**A/N: Here's part 2!  
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Crow tried desperately that night to get whatever these feelings were out of him. As he tried to sleep, he tried to think of a young, hot woman. 'Just think about a girl in a bikini,' Crow thought. As soon as the girl appeared in his mind, a young man suddenly appeared. His lower area became excited and Crow finally opened his eyes.

"No! I can't be gay!" Crow said in a panic. How could he be gay? He was the one always bugging Yusei about how attractive Akiza was. Of course, Crow didn't realize just how physically attracted Yusei had been to her and it was a lot longer than Crow knew. Still, Crow had even thought about ordering a subscription to a dirty magazine with girls in it, but now those dreams were history. He tossed and turned, trying and praying that the homosexuality would come out of him. Still, it was no use and he didn't get much, if any, sleep that night.

The next day was the start of the tournament. Crow headed over to his friends in the locker room and, just like the day before, they had very few things with them. "Crow! You're alive!" Chris said as Crow carried his bag up to them. Daniel noticed that it looked as packed as ever. "Wait," Daniel said quickly, "How come you brought your stuff over like yesterday? I thought that was only a one time thing." Crow quickly thought of an answer. "Well, with the sweltering heat, I just thought I'd suck it up again." He laughed to himself, but Daniel and Chris didn't find it so funny. Chris finally decided to tell Crow what was up.

"Crow, all the men that shower are...um...well..."

"Gay," Daniel finished for him. Crow looked stunned. "Gay?" Crow repeated, "Really? All those guys?" Daniel nodded. "Yes and the fact that you're going in there again is a little odd." Suddenly, Crow's new friend Chad walked by. He pointed to Crow and winked at him. Crow tried to pretend he wasn't there, but Chris and Daniel noticed.

"What was that about?" Chris asked as he turned to Crow. Crow tried to brush it off. "That? That was nothing," Crow replied quickly. Chris looked suspiciously at him. "Crow! Chad Winkle just winked at you! He's clearly gay!" Chris and Daniel looked at him. "Crow, is there something you want to tell us?" Crow shook his head. "Nope! There's nothing!" He quickly opened his locker and shoved his bag inside. "I've got to go to the bathroom! Bye!" Crow then headed off to the men's room. Chris and Daniel looked at one another. "What should we do?" Chris asked. Daniel gave him a puzzled look. "We'll just have to talk to him about it later," Daniel suggested, "Come on. Lets go outside."

As Crow waited in the bathroom, he knew that he couldn't tell Chris and Daniel. Besides, what if it was just a phase? Crow decided to wait it out and then see how he felt. He then got off of the toilet and went back to the locker room. He decided to let it all play itself out.

As for their dueling on the track, Crow's team made it to semifinals, which would be dueled the following day. As the day went along, Crow tried to avoid watching as other duelists unzipped their fire suits. He tried to avoid staring at their muscled abs and toned arms. He just tried to stay focused on the dueling, but it was becoming almost unbearable.

Later, at the locker room, Chris and Daniel tried to see if they could get Crow to admit to what they were starting to suspect. "You sure you don't wanna shower when you get to the hotel?" Chris asked, "You wouldn't have to stare at those guys." Crow just tried to find an excuse as to why he had to go back inside. "Well, I've already brought my things here," Crow said, "I wouldn't want all that packing to go to waste." Daniel looked suspiciously at him, but his voice gave off the tone of concern. "Crow? Do you need to say something?" Crow shook his head.

"Nope," Crow replied, "Besides, if you guys are so worried about being sweaty, shouldn't you be heading for the hotel?" Chris put a finger to his chin and looked up. "Well, I guess so..." Crow quickly pushed him towards the exit. "See! So you two better get going then." Chris and Daniel looked at Crow one last time. "All right," Daniel replied and the two of them left. Crow breathed a sigh of relief once they were gone. He quickly undressed and hoped to get out of the shower as quickly as possible.

As Crow walked in, the shower was just like yesterday. He went and found an empty shower, as he heard Chad lean over to him. "Pleasant seeing you here," Chad noted as he smiled at him. "Um...yeah," Crow said awkwardly. As Crow washed himself, he knew he would eventually have to turn around and look at the group of men. Finally, Crow managed to turn around and he examined the room.

'You know. Maybe, just for a little while, I should just embrace these feelings and see where it goes,' Crow thought. He looked around at all the wet men talking and laughing. Crow looked over every peck and chiseled chest along with every toned arm and tight butt. He didn't feel awkward at all as he finished up showering. He put his towel in it's proper spot and walked out.

As Crow got dressed, he evaluated the situation. 'That was...nice,' Crow thought, 'I got a good shower and I don't have to be sweaty all the way home. Plus seeing all those guys was...not uncomfortable.' After Crow got finished, he called his friends and told them he would be spending the night alone. They asked why and Crow said he was tired. He wanted to nip this problem in the butt.

After Crow went and ordered some takeout, Crow went out and got a couple of dirty magazines: one with attractive girls and one with guys. Which ever one he found more attractive, would reveal his gender preference. At first, Crow looked at the one with girls in it first. He found some of them attractive and some not. When he picked up the one with guys in it, he was a little afraid and nervous. He finally managed to turn the page and look inside.

Once he did, he found himself deeply attracted to guys inside. He found his mouth watering, much quicker than when he was looking at the girl's magazine. He loved looking at their toned body, which were probably airbrushed, but that didn't deny the guys looked good. Once Crow was done with the last page he knew it: he was gay. Now he had only one problem: how would he come out and tell his friends?

Crow decided to start with the person who, not only knew him the best, but would probably be the most understanding. That was obviously Martha. When Crow looked at the clock, he knew that it was too late to call her and he also wasn't quite sure how to tell her. He needed some time to think. Unfortunately, with the tournament ending tomorrow, Crow's mind was going to have to be on his dueling instead. Crow sighed as he got ready for bed. He was just going to have to put his gender preference aside and try to focus on his dueling.

As Crow dueled the following day, his mind was clearly not on dueling. He made a couple of errors that cost himself both duels he was in. Still, his teammates back him up and they were able to win both matches 2-1. Chris and Daniel were both ecstatic and Crow tried to be too. Still, his losses coupled with what he was going through made the victory hard to swallow. Afterward, they all headed out for drinks and a major celebration. Crow didn't feel in the mood as he sat down at the bar sipping his drink.

"Come on Crow! Lets have some fun!" Daniel yelled as Crow continued staring at his drink. "I don't feel like it," Crow replied in a depressed tone. Then again, when you're thinking about telling the person who raised you that you're coming out of the closet, what would you feel like doing? Crow still didn't know how to approach Martha with the topic. As Crow tried to think, Daniel sat next to him. "Crow. You wanted this win so badly. You talked about the history here and all that stuff. We got the win, so why are you so upset?" Crow took some time to think and answer his question.

"I just...I need to be alone. Okay?" Crow got up and headed for the door. Daniel watched and Chris came over. They both were unsure of what to do, as Crow had been acting very weird the past few days. Chris sat down and they talked about it. They both started to worry that Crow was upset about them bugging him that he was gay. They both agreed that they should apologize.

Later, Crow laid on his bed. He knew he would call Martha and all his friends the following morning, but he still didn't know how to tell them. Heck, he didn't even know how to tell himself. Crow knew that he just had to come out and say what felt natural for him. He kept trying to visualize how the situation would turn out. Each time he said something different. He just didn't know what the perfect words were to say. He decided that he would just have to figure that out when it happened.

The next morning, Crow didn't feel like eating. He just wanted to get the confessions done as soon as possible. He didn't mind paying the late fee, since the next event was in Texas and this was extremely important for him. Crow knew Martha got up around 8 o'clock. So, he waited a little while longer, to make sure she was all prepared. Once he was certain, he forced himself to dial each number on the video phone.

At Martha's, Martha slowly walked to the video phone. Crow, Jack, and Yusei all pitched in on getting her one for Mother's Day the year before. She had said how sad she was that she couldn't see her three young men, especially with two of them always on the road. With that in mind, it was an easy gift to get her and it was easy to install. Once Martha found the answering button, Crow's face appeared on screen.

"Why hello Crow," Martha said in surprise, "It's good to see you again." Crow smiled. "It's good to see you too Martha. Listen, I..."

"Oh! You probably want to tell me all about your victory yesterday. Well, first of all, I am very proud of you, even if you did lose twice." Crow blushed. "Yeah and..." Martha interrupted him again. "And tell Chris and Daniel that I send their congratulations as well." Crow just sweat dropped. "Oh yeah. I'll tell them." Finally, Martha stopped talking and Crow had an opportunity to speak.

"Um..actually Martha, I wanted to talk to you about...something else." Martha looked at Crow with curiosity. He seemed rather nervous and worried, something that Crow doesn't normally show. "Okay. What did you need to talk about?" Crow was looking away from the screen. He knew the next sentence was going to be hard, but he hoped that, if anyone could understand, it would be Martha. Crow turned towards the screen, but he looked down and closed his eyes. He talked slowly and paused every few words.

"Martha...I...I think...I think I might be gay...And I hope...that you will understand...and will still love me...for who I am." Crow finally managed to say what he felt and there was a long pause until Martha spoke up. "Crow," she said and he managed to open his eyes. "I think it's wonderful that you are coming out and telling me about your feelings. I want you to be happy Crow and if being gay makes you happy, then I support you." Crow looked up and smiled. "I still love you Crow and I fully embrace your choice." Crow was stunned.

"So...you're not mad?" Martha shook her head. "I've had gay and lesbian orphans before Crow. In fact, that's the reason some of them came to me, was that their parents did not accept them." Crow had never realized this growing up. Yusei, Jack, and himself were the only people at the orphanage that were their age. Everyone else had been older or younger than them, so the people Martha was talking about must have been before his time.

"I know how hard it must be to come out and tell me this, but I fully accept your feelings and I know your friends will too. Speaking of which, have you told anyone yet?" Crow shook his head. "Well, I'm sure they will all be more than supportive."

"You think?" Crow asked and Martha nodded. "In fact, why don't you talk to them right now and find out for yourself?" Crow felt a little scared leaving Martha and going off to tell his friends. He wanted her to be there to give him support and, to be honest, it made him feel like a little kid again. Still, Crow knew he would have to do this on his own and he was going to have to do it sooner or later. "Okay," he replied, "I will. Thank you Martha for everything." Martha gave him a cheerful smile. "Your welcome Crow. Good luck." Crow thanked her again and the screen soon shut off.

As Crow leaned back into his chair, he wondered how he should tell everyone. For some reason, he wanted to tell Yusei and Akiza first. Still, he wanted to tell them at the same time. After all, they were now a couple, so maybe they could give him some advice, for when he goes out dating for the first time. He sent Akiza a message. She replied back quickly that she was going to have a class for about an hour, but then she was free for the rest of the day. He then contacted Yusei and he said he was free at work, so Crow told him to contact him in about an hour.

When the hour was up, Yusei was the first to get online. He congratulated Crow on his victory the other day and Crow was grateful for it. Yusei asked him about the upcoming week and Crow started to tell him about what he had planned. As Crow was finishing up, Akiza got on screen and Yusei's face lit up. After saying hello, Akiza asked Crow what he need to tell them.

"Well...over the past few days, I've done some thinking and I've realized that...I'm gay." Akiza and Yusei were obviously surprised by Crow's words and they took a moment to let it sink in. "Well...I'm surprised," Akiza admitted, "But I know I speak for Yusei as well in the fact that we support your decision Crow." Crow became stunned. "Really?" he asked and Yusei nodded.

"We both want our friends to be happy and if being gay makes you happy, then we support you. If your preference is men, then we are not going to stop you in anyway. So, I know I speak for Akiza, when I say that we're proud that you told us Crow and we'll be willing to support you in any way we can." Crow was grateful for their words.

"Well, thank you you guys. It means a lot." Still, Akiza had a nagging question. "But...why did you need to tell both of us at the same time?" Crow smiled and knew the answer.

"Well...since I know you guys are completely straight, I was worried as to how you both would react to me...not being straight. I just worried that your sexual preferences would become a problem, since they don't agree with yours." Yusei chimed in once Crow was finished.

"Don't worry Crow. Just because we're straight doesn't mean that we're going to pick on you for not seeing things the way we do. We both want our friends to be happy and, like I said before, if that makes you happy, then that's part of who you are. As long as you're not breaking the law or anything, then we'll be more than willing to help." With that in mind, Crow decided to ask them for some advice.

"What can I do, when I got out to meet other guys?" Crow asked as his friends thought for a moment. "Just be yourself," Akiza suggested, "If you're in a relationship that restricts you, then get out of it." Yusei also had some advice. "Don't be afraid to be affectionate or show your feelings. I know that's a big one in our relationship." Akiza and Yusei, for a moment, forgot that Crow was there and stared at each other's faces on screen.

"Well, thanks for the advice," Crow admitted, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I have to contact the twins now, so thanks for everything and thanks for supporting my decision!" Yusei and Akiza told him it was all right and they all said goodbye. Crow then turned his attention to the twins. He didn't know how knowledgeable they were on the subject, so he decided that they might need some time to respond. He started up an e-mail and put their address into the box.

"Dear Leo and Luna,

You may or may not have heard, but I have realized some new feelings. Instead of being attracted to females, like many men are, I have realized that I am attracted to other men. If you know what that means, then yes, I am gay. I wasn't sure how knowledgeable you were on this topic, so I have decided to send you an e-mail, to give you time to respond. I hope this does not upset you and I am hopeful that you will support my decision.

Your friend,

Crow

It was easy for Crow to write the e-mail, it just was hard to send it. Crow kept re-reading it, hoping he wasn't coming off too insulting or too forceful in how both of them felt. He closed his eyes as he moved the cursor over the "send" button and he finally managed to click. Once he did, he quickly worried that they might respond immediately, so he quickly closed all of his browsers and shut down the computer. He breathed a sigh of relief and hoped they would take some time to get back to him.

It was time for a talk with Jack. Now Crow and Jack had fights over the years, so he worried that Jack might not agree with him. Still, all of his other friends had been accepting to him, so why stop now? As Crow called him over the phone again, Jack was sitting with Carly in his hotel bed. "Aww. I love you Jackie," Carly said as she nudged him. "Aww. I love you too Carly," Jack responded. They suddenly heard the phone ring and Jack used a clicker to answer it.

"Hey Jack!" Crow said and then realized where they were, "Whoa! Okay. Well, this might not be a good time." Jack was quick to answer. "It's a perfectly good time. Now, what did you want to tell me?" Crow took a deep breath. "Well, Jack and Carly, I have been doing some thinking and I have something to tell you. I'm...I'm gay and I hope that you will understand and..."

"Of course I understand," Jack replied, "You like penises and that's they way it is." Crow was surprised as to how quickly Jack accepted his feelings. "Um...well...thanks Jack. That's very nice of you." Despite the nice words, Jack still didn't smile. "Just don't turn into one of those fashion ones that are always telling people how they dress. Because I pick out my outfits and no one else has to the right to tell me it's wrong!"

"What about me?" Carly asked. "Okay," Jack admitted, "Maybe you. But that's it!" Crow took a deep breath. "Well thanks you guys. This means a lot to me. I've been talking to people about it and they seem okay with it." Carly got an idea. "What if I did a story on you Crow, that tells about you coming out and stuff." Crow smiled. "That sounds like a great idea Carly. You could interview some of my friends." Jack smiled. "And get more publicity for me." Carly nodded. "I'll ask my editor about it and see what happens." Crow nodded and thanked them for time.

After Crow finished up, he decided that he should talk to the last people he wanted to: his teammates. He hadn't talked to them all day and he decided that it was better to confess to them sooner than later. He left his room and headed for Chris' room. When no one answered, he went to Daniel's and he was greeted by both of them. Before Crow could say anything, Chris asked for Crow to take a seat. Crow felt a bit awkward, but he took a seat on the edge of the bed, as Daniel turned off the TV. They then sat, one on each side of Crow. Chris was the first to speak up.

"Crow...we're...really sorry for what we've said to you over the past few days. We shouldn't have made fun of you and made you feel like you are gay." Daniel nodded. "I'm really sorry Crow." Crow could tell that they were sorry for their actions, but at the same time, he wanted to laugh. "Well...I appreciate your apologies, but I wanted to say something as well." Daniel and Chris looked worried at one another, as they were expecting Crow to explode on them.

"You don't have to apologize, because...I figured out that I am gay." Chris and Daniel's eyes grew wide. "No. No," Daniel said quickly, "We were just kidding. You're not really gay and we apologize for it." Crow just smiled. "Yes I am." Chris shook his head. "No. This is just some kind of joke," Chris said quickly, "We were just kidding. We know you're not gay Crow. You don't have to lie to us." Crow just started to laugh.

"It's true," he replied, but Chris and Daniel still believed their talking was the cause of all of this. "Don't worry Crow. We get it. It's just a joke. Ha ha." Crow looked curiously at them. "You guys...do you hate gays?" Chris and Daniel quickly denounced the idea. "No way! We respect gays," Chris replied, "But we just thought that with all the homosexual things we saw, that you might be in fact gay." Crow put his arms out.

"Well you're right! I am!" Chris and Daniel still didn't believe him, so Crow thought of an idea on how he could prove it to them. "Wait right here," Crow replied and quickly ran out of the room. Chris and Daniel were confused, until Crow came back with a dirty magazine full of men in it. "I was looking at this last night!" Crow said, "Isn't it great!" He opened up a page and Chris and Daniel looked away in disgust.

"Aww! It looks like that guy has three legs!" Chris shouted. "Close it! Close it!" Daniel replied and Crow did as he was told. Now, Chris and Daniel were really confused. "So...you're not mad?" Chris asked and Crow nodded. "All I want is for you to accept me for who I am." Chris and Daniel looked at one another. "Sure we will," Daniel replied, "As long as we can keep dueling together." Crow nodded and stuck his hand out. "We're still a team?" he asked and Chris and Daniel put their hands in too. "Yes and we accept you for being gay," Daniel added. They all raised their hands and cheered.

Later, Crow checked his inbox, as they headed back across the border. It was from the twins and read:

Dear Crow,

We fully support your decision in being gay! We know some people who are in fact gay and we fully applaud that you came out to express your feelings. We congratulate you on victory last week and good luck in your dueling league.

Sincerely,

Leo and Luna

Crow smiled once he read the e-mail. All of his friends were accepting that he was gay and they fully supported his decision. As Crow arrived at the next stop, he then thought of something that he still had to do.

About a week later, a man was sitting in a mall. He was waiting for some customers to come and he was then met by a man with orange hair and a black hairband to keep his hair up. He had a big smile on his face as he laid down some dollar bills. "I want to get a piercing for my ears," he said confidently. The man checked how much he put down. "Okay. Come on inside."

The orange haired man stepped inside the small booth and then sat down on a chair. "Now, what earring do you want to put into your ear?" Crow looked at the display the man showed to him and he knew which one he wanted. He pointed to a long, slender, yellow colored earring.

"I want that one," Crow said and he finally had accepted his true feelings.

**A/N: I hope you liked the ending.**

**I'll be out of town for the weekend, but I hope to be back writing as soon as I can. Take care!  
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	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22!  
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**A/N: I had a writer's block for this Chapter and I apologize for the long wait.  
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Once Crow was able to tell everyone how he felt, Crow's dueling increased dramatically. After his last two losses, Crow went on a major hot streak, rattling off 16 straight victories. His teammates were more than impressed, as they were able to get 2 victories and a second place finish. Even Jack Atlas had to admit that it was impressive, as Crow had a longer win streak than he did.

As Yusei congratulated them over the world wide web, he started looking for a pen in his desk. As he searched for it, he stumbled upon the gift card, that he had completely forgotten that he had. It was from Martha, who had given it to him a year ago for his Birthday. It was to a small restaurant and had a decent amount of money left on it. To be honest, Yusei had forgotten all about it, but now he knew what he could do with it.

With Akiza coming back, it was almost starting to become routine. They met at the airport, went to her house, made out, her parents came back, they ate. Blah blah blah. Yusei decided though, this time would be different. Instead of doing it like that, Yusei decided he would take Akiza out that night. It would certainly be a good time for them to catch up. Yusei looked at the restaurant's logo and smiled. He quickly e-mailed Akiza and asked her what day she was coming back.

When Akiza came home from Germany, Yusei hadn't told her about the date he had planned for her. Once Akiza and Yusei were done with their "greeting" they headed for the couch as usual. When their parents came back, Yusei got up and opened the door for them. "Thank you Yusei. You're such a gentleman," Martha commented. Yusei then headed back to the couch and sat down next to Akiza. He put his arm comfortably around her, as their parents sat down with them. Akiza told them how a tougher class left her off of the dean's list, but everyone around her was proud none the less. Akiza noticed that Yusei kept checking his watch, looking at the time. She decided to think nothing of it, but it certainly was strange to see him looking away every few minutes.

When the grandfather clock struck 5, the Izinski's offered to let Martha stay for dinner. However, they never addressed Yusei. "Isn't Yusei going to stay for dinner?" Akiza asked. All the adults turned to her, but Yusei pulled her in closer, making her face him. "I have a different idea for dinner," Yusei replied, "And you're going to come with me." Akiza got up with him and they walked to the door. Their parents followed and smiled at them, while Akiza was still confused.

"What is this? Where are we going?" she asked aloud. Yusei just smiled and put his arms around her middle. "We're going some place special," Yusei answered. Akiza looked back her parents. "It's just the two of you right?" Ms. Izinski asked and Yusei nodded. "Yep. Me and my little Akiza." Akiza smiled as Yusei wrapped her in his embrace.

Wait! Akiza then noticed something. She looked over her shoulder at Yusei. Did Yusei just call her something? After they said goodbye and went outside, Yusei took her hand and they slowly walked to the limo waiting for them outside. Once they got inside the long vehicle and buckled up, Yusei pulled Akiza close. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled. "You're just my little Akiza," Yusei said and Akiza took notice.

Little Akiza? Was this some sort of pet name? Akiza had never heard Yusei call her by this name and now she wondered what made him do it. As the limo made it's way into a nearby suburban area, they found a cafe that wasn't very big, but wasn't too small either. Akiza turned to Yusei. "Is this where we're going?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. He then took her hand and helped her out of the black car. They stepped inside, where Akiza felt a little self-conscious. All of their other dates had been planned in advance, so Akiza had time to make sure she looked perfect for Yusei. But now, she felt a little unsure of herself. They were lead to a table and they took a seats. After ordering drinks and food, Akiza and Yusei had time to talk.

"So, you had this all planned out, didn't you Yusei?" Yusei nodded. "I thought it would be nice to spend some more time with you Akiza," Yusei added, "I wanted to do something different than what we normally do." Akiza smiled. "Well. Don't worry about paying Yusei. I'll get it for you."

"No," Yusei said quickly as he reached across the table and grabbed her hand. Akiza was surprised by the action as she was about to get some money for when the bill came later. Yusei shook his head to reenforce his position. "Don't worry Akiza." He reached into his pocket and showed her the gift card. Akiza's eyes grew in wonder. "Where did you get that?" Yusei set the card down. "Martha gave it to me for my Birthday. I thought it would be nice to spend it on a really special day and so, I thought today would be perfect." Akiza's cheeks turned bubble-gum colored as he handed her the card.

"Well...that's very nice of you Yusei, but...you didn't have to spend so much of it on a date with me." Yusei nodded. "But I wanted to Akiza. I wanted this night to be special. After all...you're a very special person to me." Akiza smiled shyly at him. If the table wasn't in the way, she would have leaned over and gave him a kiss. Once they talked a little bit more about Akiza's schooling, their food arrived for them.

After they were done eating, Yusei handed the waiter the gift card and their bill was fully paid for. Once they were done, Akiza called the limo, and the driver returned to escort them back to the Izinski's. Once they were there, Yusei noticed that Martha was still present, as they walked up to the door. "I would say goodbye, but I think that they'll want to see us inside," Yusei said as they faced the door. Akiza nodded and she rang the doorbell.

Sure enough, everyone of their parents were still there and eager to find out how their date went. Akiza and Yusei just rolled their eyes as they filed inside. When they sat down, Akiza's mother asked her daughter directly what happened. Akiza thought about telling her what Yusei and her already said, but this time, she decided to change things up.

"Oh. It was just a date," she commented, "Just me and my _little Yusei."_ Yusei turned and looked at her, but Akiza paid no attention to him as she continued talking about the date. 'Did she just do what I think she did?' Yusei thought. In truth, he wondered if Akiza was going to get him back after what he had said earlier. He wanted to say something about the subject, but he never got time as they were with their parents until the end of the night. Plus, Akiza didn't call him that name for the rest of the night, so Yusei decided that everything was all right.

A few weeks later, it was time for the twins to come home as well. They repeated what they did the following summer and paid off their bills in advanced. Once that was straightened out, they got to take their flight back home. Although, they decided not to tell their Duel Academy friends about it and instead only told Yusei and Akiza. The reason for this is that, over the past few months, the twins had really grown and changed. Yusei and Akiza noticed this when they were there to greet them at the airport.

"Wow! You certainly have grown!" Akiza exclaimed when she gave Luna a hug. Yusei nodded. "Yeah and the same goes for you Leo," he replied as he gave him a fist bump. The twins smiled as they caught up with their two former Signers.

Once the twins were back at their apartment, they contemplated what to do next. "Do you want to hold a party like last time?" Leo asked, "Or do you wanna invite them over one by one?" Luna shrugged. "I think we could hold a get together again." Leo smiled, as he knew that would mean lots of food to eat and he was now even hungrier than ever. "Okay!" Leo said excitedly, "I can go get that stuff." Luna trusted her brother and let him go out to order the food. "I might stop for lunch, so I'll probably be gone a while."

"Okay. Bye Leo!" Luna said happily. As Luna shut the door and looked around at the empty apartment, she felt a little lonely. With her brother now gone, she wanted to be able to talk to someone about how excited she was to be back home. 'I don't think Leo would be upset if I called someone,' Luna thought, 'I think he really wouldn't mind if it was someone he really likes. Maybe I'll call Dexter.' Luna pulled out her phone and dialed Dexter's number.

Dexter sat on his computer bored out of his mind. He had no one to play with or talk to and he really wished he could find something exciting to do. When he heard his phone rang, he picked it up, and smiled when he saw the name. "Hi Luna!" he said excitedly, "What's up?" Luna giggled. "Hey Dexter. Leo and I have just come back from London and I was wondering if you'd like to come over." Dexter grew excited at the chance. "Sure thing!" he said excitedly, "I'll be there in a little bit." Luna said she would be waiting and they hung up.

Dexter quickly headed for the door and grabbed his wallet. He had stayed in touch with the twins much more than the previous year and he was extremely overjoyed at the fact that they had flown home again. He knew that the twins had changed a little bit since their departure a year before. Luna had grown her hair out a little more and, they last time they spoke, it was down to her shoulders. Dexter thought it looked good and Luna thanked him for the compliment. Other than that, Dexter really only got to see them from their necks up. Leo still had his traditional hair style and the twins did look a little older and more mature. So, when Dexter arrived at the Tops, he expected to see pretty much the same people he saw before.

When he rang the doorbell, he heard a voice call to him. "Coming," the female voice said and Dexter instantly realized it was Luna. After she checked the peephole, the door swung open and Dexter was met with a upper stomach to lower chest area. Dexter jumped out of his skin, as he had to strain his neck upwards to see a face. Luna had had quite a growth spurt over the past year, that Dexter was unaware of. Unknown to him, his growth spurt was going to be this summer, but for right now, Luna sure looked a lot taller than him. Dexter noticed how long Luna's legs had become as they now took up the majority of her height. Luna still had a little more growing and some filling out to do, but there was no doubt that she looked a lot different than before. The only thing recognizable was Luna's hairstyle.

"Hey Dexter," Luna said happily as Dexter had to snap back into the real world. "Um...hi," he replied a little nervously. Luna smiled at him. "Do you want to come inside?" Luna asked in the same tone as before. "Sure," Dexter replied with a nod and Luna let him inside. After closing the door, Luna took the lead in front of Dexter. Dexter couldn't help, but notice's Luna's much longer legs and the tiny short shorts that she wore proudly. 'Stop looking at her butt!' Dexter scolded himself, but his body wasn't listening to him mind. Dexter gasped when Luna turned around and he got a quick glance at her groin. He quickly looked up, to refrain from upsetting her.

"Do you wanna take a seat?" Luna offered and Dexter nodded. He took a seat on the couch, as Luna stood near him. "Want something to drink?" Luna offered and Dexter looked at his lap. "Um...water would be nice," Dexter replied and Luna continued to smile. "Water?" she repeated, "Coming right up." Luna headed for the kitchen as Dexter scolded himself for his behavior from before.

'Come on Dexter! Stop looking at her as object! She's one of your best friends for Pete's sake!' Luna held out a glass for him and Dexter had to blink a few times, as he realized what was in front of him. "Here you go," Luna said kindly and Dexter took the glass from her. "Thank you," he replied and took a few gulps from it, as he set the glass down on a coaster. Luna had another glass for herself, which she set down next to his.

As she sat herself down next to him, Dexter noticed on just how tall Luna was and a majority of her height was due to her legs. She sat firmly against the back of the couch, yet her feet were firmly planted on the floor in front of them with plenty of room to spare. Dexter looked as his legs still only dangled over the edge of sofa. "So," Luna spoke up as Dexter turned his attention back to her, "How have you been?" Dexter didn't really know how to respond.

"Well...I made B honor roll first couple of quarters while making A honor roll the last two." Luna smiled. "That's great Dexter! I'm so proud of you." Dexter was embarrassed by Luna's kind words. "Well...it's really not a big deal," Dexter replied. Luna's face turned a little sad as she asked another question. "So...have those kids continued to pick on you?" Dexter looked away from Luna and looked down at his lap. He could either lie to Luna or tell her the truth. He decided to be honest with her.

"Yes," he replied, "The same kids continue to pick on me." Luna frowned. "I'm so sorry to hear that Dexter. I know that you told Leo and I about that every time that we contacted each other." Dexter nodded. "I tried to use the comebacks that you guys suggested, but nothing worked. They always have an answer." Dexter hung his head sadly and Luna put a hand on his left shoulder. "That's a shame," Luna replied as Dexter looked over at her.

"You're such a nice guy Dexter. I wish more people could see what a great guy you really are." Dexter was again embarrassed by Luna's kind words. "Well...thank you, but I don't know if I'm really that great." Luna tilted her head. "Well, Leo and I think you are. Plus, Yusei and Akiza and all of our other friends think so too." Dexter finally managed a small smile and Luna was more than happy to see it.

"So where's Leo anyways?" Dexter asked. "He's out getting stuff for our get together party," Luna replied, "We're going to have one just like last year." Dexter nodded. "So all of our friends will be there?" Luna nodded. "I just have to call them. Would it be all right if we did that right now? I was hoping the party could be in a couple of days." Dexter nodded and Luna took out her phone.

Luna first called Leo and confirmed that they wanted to do the party on Saturday. Leo had already ordered a few things and was about to grab some food. Luna told him to make sure to get a few more things and Leo said he would. Luna then called Patty, who said she had plenty of free time in order to meet up again. When Luna called Sly, he remembered how he had already found Luna attractive the previous summer and he was betting that she probably looked even better now. So, it was an automatic yes for him. Bob said that he would have to move a couple of things around, but he assured her that he would make it. Once things were all squared away, Luna hung up her phone.

"Well, everyone can come. That's good." Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Luna and Dexter raced to see who it was. They saw Leo in the peep hole and let him inside. "Here. Why don't I get something for you Leo?" Dexter offered as he took a couple of bags. "Thanks Dexter. You're a life saver." Luna quickly went to her brother's side. "I'll take these two things as well," Luna added as she took a couple more bags. Now Leo had a much easier time walking and they all set their stuff by the kitchen table.

"Leo, how much food did you buy?" Leo smiled. "What? I needed some more stuff than just for the party. Besides, I'll eat a lot of it soon enough." Dexter took a moment to see that Leo looked taller and leaner than he remembered. "Hey Dexter!" Leo said as he let out a hand towards his shorter friend, "How are things going?" Dexter sweat dropped at having to tilt his head up to see Leo. "Um...fine. I guess." Leo then turned to his sister. "Why did you invite Dexter over Luna?" Luna put her hands behind her back in fear that her brother was upset.

"I just wanted to talk to someone while you were gone. Besides, I thought if there was anyone you wouldn't be mad at for coming over, it'd be Dexter. You're not mad are you?" Leo went over to his twin. "Nah. Everything's good. I just thought we'd show off our new look to everyone, but since we talked with Dexter over the school year and he's seen us before, it's not too upsetting." Luna smiled as Leo started grabbing some of the food. "Now, lets put this stuff away, so we can get ready for the party." Luna and Dexter nodded and they started to help out.

The next day, Yusei and Akiza met up at his apartment. They were just going to go out for dinner and maybe catch a movie afterwards. Yusei and Akiza hadn't called each other by their new names since Akiza had arrived, but they still had that lingering thought in their mind. Why did they do it and how did the other feel about it? Normally, Akiza and Yusei were very open to each other and could talk about anything. But now, they didn't know what to think. Yusei worried that Akiza found it annoying, since she had tried to get him back. Akiza thought it was some sort of game and Yusei found it amusing.

So, when Akiza arrived, Yusei made sure he didn't accidentally let the name slip our of his mouth. "Hi Akiza," he said as he gave her a quick hug. Akiza just had on a t-shit and jeans, but her hair and makeup had been done with much more care. Yusei had on a similar attire as he shut the door and locked it. "Lets go," he said excitedly and he took Akiza's hand into his.

They decided to walk to the restaurant, despite the hot summer air. They took a seat at a booth and got settled in. "So...anything new at work?" Akiza asked and Yusei quickly tried to change the subject. "Not really," he replied, "But how are things going for you at home? Going on a vacation this summer?" Akiza shook her head. "No. My Dad's up for reelection, so he'll be campaigning this summer. I'll be spending some more time at home by myself." Yusei frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that Akiza, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you." Akiza smiled at his words. Yusei was always there for Akiza and she would do the same thing for him. "Thanks Yusei," Akiza said softly as a waitress came up to them.

Later, Yusei and Akiza headed for the movies and they looked at the list of ones that were playing. "No westerns," Yusei said quickly and Akiza laughed. "I know you hate them Yusei and I feel the exact same way," Akiza replied and they looked at some of the other selections. "How about that animated one?" Yusei looked at the name. It was a kid's movie, technically, but Yusei figured that he'd go if Akiza wanted to. "Are you sure?" Yusei asked and his girlfriend nodded. They then bought two tickets and went inside.

"That ending was too predictable," Yusei said as they walked out of the theater a couple of hours later. "Yusei, it's a kid's movie. It's going to be somewhat predictable." Yusei sighed. "Yeah, but they could have done a better ending that that." Akiza just rolled her eyes. Yusei was being stubborn and she figured that she wasn't going to change his mind. "Well...I still enjoyed it," Akiza replied, "So lets go to my house." Yusei smiled as they at least agreed on that. They then headed out towards Akiza's house, which was a pretty good walk from the theater.

As they got closer to Akiza's house, Yusei started showing his usual affectionate side. Every time there was a red light, Yusei would pull her close and giver her a hug or kiss. Akiza blushed and always returned it right back to him. She love seeing this side of him and she enjoyed the fact that he was showing it off even more. When she noticed that no one was really around them, Akiza decided that it would be the perfect place to thank Yusei for the date. "Thank you so much for going out with me tonight Yusei. I really enjoyed spending this time with you." Yusei and Akiza stopped walking and Yusei wrapped her in a hug, just like he had done many times earlier in the night. "Well you're very welcome Akiza. I enjoy spending time with you. _After all, you're my little Akiza." _

Akiza's eyes became serious after she heard Yusei say that last sentence. She leaned back from Yusei's embrace and looked him dead in the eye. "Okay Yusei. What's this all about?" Yusei knew what she was talking about. 'Oh crap. I shouldn't have said that,' Yusei thought as he tried to think of an explanation. "Well...you see..."

"What is this about me being your _little Akiza? Huh?" _Yusei bit his lip. "Well, it's kind of my...nickname for you," Yusei replied nervously. Akiza became furious. "A nickname? It sounds more like a pet name to me." Akiza crossed her arms. "I am not your pet!" Yusei quickly tried to be defensive. "All right. I guess it's pretty much a pet name, but..." Akiza turned her back to him, not wanting to hear what Yusei had to say. Yusei sighed softly to himself.

"Akiza..." he said gently as he put a hand on her right shoulder, "I want to tell you why I called you that." Akiza frowned. "Is it, because I'm shorter than you Yusei?" Yusei shook his head. "No. I mean, I guess you're much shorter than me." Akiza quickly turned around. "I'm only an inch shorter than you Yusei! Shave off our hair and you're only a tiny bit taller than me!" Yusei smiled. "You're 100% right Akiza," Yusei admitted, "But that's not why I called you that name." Akiza still frowned as Yusei walked up to her.

"The fact is...I've always thought of you as being my little Akiza. It's a pet name and I know that parents like to sometimes call their kids as their special little guy or girl. But don't worry, you're not my kid Akiza. You're much more than that." Akiza still didn't quite get what Yusei was getting at. Yusei put his arms around Akiza and then continued. "When I'm with you Akiza, it reminds me just how special you really are. There's no one in the world like you Akiza and there never will be. It's the reason I gave you that pet name Akiza." He smiled confidently at her. "You're my special little Akiza."

Yusei hoped that he wasn't going to get Akiza even more mad for calling her that name. Instead, Akiza smiled at her boyfriend. "Well...if that's how you feel, then I feel the exact same way about you. I love you and you're a very special person to me. So, that makes you my special little Yusei." Yusei blushed. "Even though I'm just a little taller than you?" Akiza chuckle. "Yeah. Even though you're barely taller than me." They kissed and then looked at one another.

"You sure that you're not upset?" Yusei asked just for reassurance. Akiza shook her head. "As long as I'm special in your eyes, then it's fine with me." Yusei knew that was never going to change, so he figured that Akiza was okay with the name. He leaned in and they kissed once more. "I love you Yusei." Yusei nodded. "I love you too Akiza. You're my special little girlfriend." Yusei chuckled and they both headed for Akiza's house again.

Once they gave each other, a goodbye kiss, Akiza took a step inside her house. "When will I see you again?" Yusei asked. Akiza smiled. "I guess I will try to see you very soon. After all, you're my special little boyfriend." Akiza then winked at Yusei as he looked stunned at her. He hadn't told her that he was okay with her calling him by that name. Still, Akiza had already figured that out as she laughed and shut the door. Yusei then turned around.

'Well, I must be special in her eyes if she calls me by that name,' Yusei thought and he happily walked down the steps.

**A/N: Again, I apologize for the long delay. Hope you still enjoyed the Chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23!  
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**A/N: Thanks for the reviews and views! If there's anything I can do to make the story better, please let me know!  
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The following day was the twin's coming home party. It was suppose to be a sweltering hot day and Leo and Luna debated what to do. They could either keep everyone inside or invite them to swim in their pool. "Lets have a pool party!" Leo said right away, but Luna decided to think it through. "Well, if we do that, then we'll need to have towels for everyone."

"They can bring their own," Leo countered. "Sunscreen," Luna reminded him. "They can bring their own," Leo repeated. "Chairs to sit on," Luna added. "They can bring their own," Leo replied again and Luna groaned. "Leo! We can't just tell them to bring everything over! They're our guests, so we should be somewhat accommodating." Leo frowned and folded his arms. "All right," he replied, "We'll give them sunscreen and chairs, but they'll have to bring everything else." Luna nodded as she finished her breakfast. She then called everyone and they agreed to the new idea.

At about one o'clock, Leo and Luna's guests arrived. Bob and Patty came first, followed by Sly, and then Dexter. Their friends all took notice of their new appearance and the twins were surprised just how much their friends had changed as well. Once they were all caught up, it was time to swim. The guys were all quick to get in their suits and quickly went outside. After putting on some lotion, all three of them jumped in the pool. The girls followed a short while afterwards. Luna came out last, as she wanted to be sure everything inside was neat and okay. When she stepped out in her forest green one piece, Sly definitely took notice.

As Luna stepped into the pool, Leo and Dexter were near to her. "Is that a new swimsuit?" Leo asked and Luna nodded. "I needed it, because of my growth spurt," Luna replied. "Well, you look good in it," Dexter added as a compliment. Luna thanked him for it, just as Sly quickly swam up to her. "Wow! You look amazing Luna!" Sly said in surprise. Luna giggled at the comment and noticed how Sly looked as well. Being on the basketball team definitely had him working out more often and it showed. He wasn't ripped or super toned by any means, but you could see some small muscles on his arms. "Thanks Sly. Do you want to be on my team for volleyball?" Sly nodded and happily agreed.

Leo got out of the water and got the net set up. Once he also got a beach ball they were all set. Leo, Patty, and Bob were on one team, while Luna, Dexter, and Sly were on the other. The game started out pretty even as Leo and Luna noticed that their new height helped them make plays that they hadn't been able to do before. Sly was actually able to make a few good moves, mostly helping when Dexter had an awkward shot. To be honest, Dexter started feeling like the dead weight on the team as Luna and Sly made some great saves and shots. When they ended up losing, Dexter felt like he was to blame. Still, everyone else had fun and they all got out to take a break.

"That was fun!" Leo said as he took a sip of soda, "Do you guys wanna eat or swim some more?" When the group discussed their options, they decided to play one more game. After all, if they ate and then started swimming, they might get a stomach ache. So, they all headed back in the pool and got into their same teams. Unlike the last game, Dexter was able to make a few good plays and his team easily won. Leo wanted a third game rematch, but a majority of them were hungry and they decided to go inside to eat.

Once everyone got inside, they all changed clothes before bringing out the food (which everyone willing took off a piece or two before they began eating). Once they said grace, they all got in line and then sat around the lower level of the apartment. As Dexter looked for a place to sit, he spotted Sly and Luna on the couch and sat next to them. They were already in discussion as Luna laughed at something Sly said.

"Hey Dexter! Sly's telling me about being on the basketball team! it sounds like he really enjoys it!" Dexter turned to Sly. "Oh. Well, that's good. So, how was the team this past year?" Sly then told him they were a little below .500, but that he still played pretty good. He then started talking about some of the games he was in. As Sly continued to talk, he faced towards Luna, and it seemed as though Luna was the only one in the room. Dexter took notice and got up, moving over to Leo, Bob and Patty.

After he had sat down, Luna looked over and noticed that Dexter had moved. She felt a little bad, as he was clearly not into whatever the others were talking about. She turned back to Sly and continued to listen to him. When Dexter looked over, he started to feel as though maybe Luna and Sly were becoming really good friends. They had never really talked that much before, but they now seemed to be getting along great.

From Luna's standpoint however, she was getting a bit tired of Sly's rambling. He started gloating about making some impressive shots and at first, she was okay with it. But the more he talked, the more annoyed she got. When Sly finally took a moment to stop, Luna quickly put on a fake smile. "Well, that was interesting Sly, but I'm going to go talk to the others for a little bit." She then got up and walked towards the other circle of friends.

For Sly, he wasn't too disappointed, as he got a great angle of Luna's long, smooth legs, and behind. He felt himself grow more excited, the longer he watched. 'Wow! Luna's even hotter outside of the water!' Sly thought, 'With my workouts and basketball training, there's no doubt she'll soon fall head over heels for me!'

When Luna sat down, she noticed that Leo, Bob, and Patty were already deep into conversation, with Dexter being stuck on the outside. "So what are they talking about?" Luna asked as she looked down at Dexter. "Um...I don't know. I think Leo's talking about something at school." Luna smiled as she listened in on her brother. "Have you gotten a chance to say anything?" Dexter shook his head. "I'm not sure when I should come in. Plus, everything I say is just short and sweet." Luna shrugged. "You've got to pick a time when no one's talking," Luna explained, "But I don't think it's a bad thing if what you say is short and sweet. Sometimes that's all you need to say." Dexter nodded at her advice and Luna was happy that she could be of help. Sure enough, Dexter followed her advice and soon the five of them were all into the conversation. Sly remained on the couch, as he soaked up Luna's attractiveness.

Across town, Yusei was already at Akiza's house. Yusei had decided to visit her as often as he could with her parents being away campaigning. Yusei had brought over his swim trunks and offered to go swimming in Akiza's pool. At first, Akiza was more than happy, as she quickly got into her two piece, which was just for him. Still, as Akiza stood at the back door, she looked out at Yusei waiting for her. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself that everything was going to be all right. She had been able to go across the Atlantic for college, returning to normal society, and so many other things, yet Akiza still got nervous wearing so little clothing. It wasn't until she heard footsteps that she opened her eyes. She noticed two boney feet in front of her and knew who's they were, as she couldn't see her feet due to her chest.

"Are you nervous about something Akiza? You've been standing there for quite a while." Akiza kept looking down. Was she that easy to read? "Um...yeah," Akiza replied softly. "Is it about your swimsuit?" Yusei asked. Akiza sighed and knew he was right. Yusei put his hands on her shoulders, as he would probably lose a lot of blood if he wrapped her in a hug. "Akiza, don't be so nervous. The only person here is me. Is that what you;re worried about?" Akiza nodded.

"Akiza. Don't worry so much. I know that you don't wear clothing like this very often, but it's okay. You're a very beautiful person. On the inside and outside." Akiza's cheeks turned pink. "Come on Akiza. Lets go swim. Maybe that would take your mind off of things." Yusei took her hand and they walked together towards the table. They put on their goggles and then walked in the pool. Once they were shoulder high, Yusei didn't see so much of Akiza, so he had the confidence to wrap his arms around her shoulders. He was thankful that his lower area wasn't getting super exited in the water and he hoped that it would continue. He gave Akiza a few quick kisses and Akiza soon forgot about her skimpy attire. After a few more kisses, Akiza looked over shoulder. She took Yusei's hand and started leading him towards the wall. "Akiza. What are we..."

Yusei didn't have a chance to continue, as she gave him a knowing glare. Yusei's eyes grew wide and he suddenly stopped walking. Akiza turned back, as he hand had slipped from his grasp. "Yusei. Why are you..." This time, Akiza was at a loss for words, as Yusei led her towards the other side. Akiza let him lead her to the wall, before she stopped, and folded her arms.

"Yusei, what is this about? What was wrong with the what I was doing?" Yusei shrugged. "Nothing was wrong," he replied, "I just didn't want you having to lean against the wall." He put his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't want you to get red marks all over your back and have you in pain." Akiza's face remained firm. "But what about you," Akiza replied. She put her arms around Yusei's waist and shoulders. He didn't exactly have the most waist and back fat in the world, to keep him from getting sore. "You're not exactly immune to getting hurt either." Yusei waited a moment, thinking of how to respond. He then put his arms around her again and he pulled her closer to him.

"Akiza, I'd hate to see you in pain or upset. When I noticed you standing by the door a few minutes ago, I felt a pain in my heart. I'd do anything to help make you happy again and to see the smile I love on your face." Akiza tilted her head down in embarrassment. "Yusei," she said as Yusei stood on his tiptoes to give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Akiza. This is suppose to be something to make us both feel good and if you were in any sort of pain because of it, I would never forgive myself. I want to make you feel as good as you make me." He leaned forward and game her a kiss on the lips that hinted he wanted even more. When he leaned back and looked at her, Akiza and Yusei shared the same desire to continue. Akiza put her arms around his shoulders and he put his around her middle. Their lips did the rest of the talking as made out.

Once their lips smacking and moaning was over, the two of them were satisfied, as Akiza leaned her head on Yusei's bare shoulder. "Do you know what I want to do now?" Akiza asked. Yusei didn't open his mouth as he responded with a content moan. "Mmmmm, what's that?" he asked. They two opened their eyes and Akiza tapped him on the nose.

"Tag! You're it!" Akiza said happily as she swam away. Yusei got water all over his face and he laughed as he chased after her. He eventually caught up to her and made sure to get a non-sensitive area to tag her back. The two of them went back and forth, until they were all tired out. "Okay. Okay," Yusei said out of breath, "That's enough. Why don't we go inside?" Akiza nodded and the two of them got out of the water.

As they headed for the table, Akiza noticed a camera, and knew it was Yusei's. "Did you wanna take pictures or something?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. Akiza remembered the summer before and she knew exactly where the picture of both Yusei and one they took together were. They followed suit as the year before once they were dried off. As Akiza grabbed her things, she noticed Yusei looking in her direction, out of the corner of her eye. Akiza was picking her towel off of the ground, so there was only one thing he could have been looking at.

"Do you like what you see?" Akiza asked as she stood fully upright. Yusei took a moment to respond. "Um...yeah," he replied nervously. With Akiza, he wasn't sure how she was going to respond.

"Well...then how do you like this?" Akiza asked as she turned around and leaned forward. Yusei's face turned redder than Akiza's hair, as she gave him the perfect angle to look down at her chest. Akiza smiled, knowing it was a thank you for having Yusei leaning up against the rough, swimming pool wall when they made out. After a moment, Akiza stood upright as Yusei tried to catch his breath. As she walked by, Yusei noticed her by the back door, walking with much more confidence in her stride.

'Well, she's definitely got self confidence,' Yusei thought as he headed back inside.

At the twins, Leo and Luna were cleaning up from their party. "Well that was great," Luna commented as she put some plates back in the cupboard. "Yeah! Look at all the food we have left!" Leo said excitedly, as he stared at the nearly full containers. Luna rolled her eyes as she finished the last of the dishes that they used to eat off of. When she started taking some of the food to the fridge, Leo helped her out.

"So, I noticed you and Sly were talking for quite a while," Leo noted as he opened the fridge door. "Yeah, we did," Luna replied, "But it's no big deal." Leo was baffled. "No big deal? He couldn't stop staring at you all day!" Luna hadn't noticed that fact. "He did?" Luna asked and Leo nodded. "Sure did. I'd say he has a thing for you Luna." Leo, in all honesty didn't support his sister going with Sly, but he wanted to know more details about it. So, he kept egging her on. "If I didn't know any better, I'd guess he'll call you very soon." Luna shook her head. "Sly and I are friends. We're not _that _kind of friends." Luna just brushed Leo off and went back to cleaning up.

Later that night, Leo and Luna were online reading and looking up different things. Suddenly, the phone rang and they wondered who it was. Leo got up and picked it up. "Hello?" he asked. He then turned towards the sofa. "It's for you," he replied and handed Luna the phone. "Hello?" Luna asked, "Oh. Hi Sly. How's it going?" She then waited a few moments. "I see. Um...sure I guess. That sounds fine." Another pause. "Anywhere you wanna go. Okay. Okay. Sounds great. I'll see you then. Bye." She then hung up. "That was Sly and he wanted to go out with me." Leo put his hands on his hips. "What did I tell you?" Luna sighed. 'This is just a meeting between friends,' Luna insisted, "Besides, how bad could it be?'

Sly had told her to meet him up at a restaurant downtown. Luna didn't feel as though it was going to be anything special, so she wore a t-shirt and shorts. As she waited for him, she sat on a nearby bench and thought about the supposed date. 'It's nothing special,' Luna kept thinking to herself, 'But...what if Sly is trying to make it a date. What if he wants to be my boyfriend? Would I be happy with that?' To be honest, Luna didn't know. She didn't know Sly very well. 'Maybe I should ask him about what he likes and stuff. That might really help me figure out if he really is worthy of being my boyfriend, even if I still think this is a date between friends.'

Luna looked down both sides of the street and waited about five minutes, until she finally spotted Sly's trademark black hair, with it covering one eye. Luna stood up as Sly came up to her. "So how's it going Luna?" he asked, as he was about Luna's height. "Pretty good," Luna replied, "But it's getting hot out here. Do you want to head inside?" Sly nodded. 'It's not the only thing that's hot,' Sly thought as they were led to their seats.

It was a typical bar and grill, with nothing really different from many similar restaurants in the area. As they took their seat, a nice waitress came up to them. "Oh. Are you two on a date?" she asked with a smile. "Uh..." Luna replied, but Sly interrupted her. "Of course we are!" Sly replied. "That's great! So what do you want to drink?" After she took their orders, Luna thought to herself.

'So Sly really thinks that we're on a date? Well, I guess this would be my third since I had those days last summer with him and Dexter. Lets just see where this one goes.' Luna took a sip of her drink and then started a conversation. "So, Sly what kind of things do you like to do in the summer?"

"Well, I like skateboarding, biking, and that kind of stuff." Luna became curious. "Do you wear any protective gear in case you get hurt?" Sly shook his head. "I use to, but I think it's kind of uncool now." Luna became irritated. "Sly! You could get seriously hurt! Don't you at least wear a helmet?" Sly shook his head.

Luna was deeply troubled by Sly's actions. Yusei and Akiza, who Leo and Luna looked up to, always preached safety whether in a car, on a duel runner, or when it came to doing drugs. Luna just couldn't believe that Sly would be so stupid in not wearing any type of protective gear. She decided to move on, when Sly asked her the same question.

"Well, I like to swim, read, and even garden. I don't need a big one, just a little one for a few flowers." Sly rolled his eyes. "I think garden's a waste of time," he replied, "I mean, you plant things, they die, and then you have to plant most of them next year. What's the point? If you actually grow food or something, there's at least some value in it, but then you have to deal with the weeds and all that crap." Luna was even more upset. Sly didn't have to have the exact same interests as her, but could he have been at least somewhat respectful to her opinion? She decided to change the subject.

"So, how is school going? Are you doing okay?" Sly shrugged. "I'm doing as good as I want to." Luna took school very seriously, so she wanted to know what he meant by that. "I just get C's," Sly replied, "I could do better, but I really don't feel like it." Luna could tell that things were almost getting heated between them, at least from her point of view. "Sly! How are you going to get to college if you don't have a really good GPA?" Sly smiled. "Luna, most school take you anyways. Besides, I'm not looking for a super special education like you. I just want to get my degree and get on with a job I want."

"Which is?" Luna asked. "I want to be a firefighter," Sly replied. Luna was confused by his selection. "Why would you want to do that?" Luna asked, "I mean, you seem like the kind of guy who likes to do things by himself." Sly nodded. "Yeah. I know, but I really honor the work they do. They help people out and get to know each other really well. So, it's kind of like a second family. I thought about going into the Army for a while and then coming back to become a firefighter." Luna smiled. For once, since the date had started, Luna was actually happy to be with Sly. "Well, I think that's a very honorable thing to do."

"I know," Sly replied and their food followed afterwards. It was delicious and Luna made a mental note of coming back. As they left, despite Luna and Sly's disagreements, Luna was happy that it ended on a good note. Or so she thought.

"Do you want me to take you back to your place?" Sly asked and Luna nodded, as it was the honorable thing to do. As they walked, Sly put his arm around Luna. To be honest, Luna was uncomfortable, as the date hadn't really changed her thought on them just being friends. After a block or so, Sly's hand made his way towards Luna's behind. This made Luna really uncomfortable and she stopped walking.

"Why'd you stop Luna?" Sly asked. Luna wasn't sure on how to say what she wanted to say, without sounding like a jerk. "Um. Sly, can you take your hand off of my butt?" Sly was confused. "Why Luna? You have an excellent butt and aren't afraid to show it off."

"Um. Yeah," Luna replied, embarrassed that Sly was so straight with his words, "But there's something called you can look, but you can't touch. I kind of have that rule for my butt." Sly's face turned disappointed. "Oh. So you mean..." Luna nodded. "Sorry Sly." Sly removed his arm and hand and they didn't have any physical contact for the rest of the walk home. When they got to Luna's apartment, Luna and Sly faced each other.

"Well, that was fun," Luna white lied, "Thanks for lunch." She then reached for the door knob. "Wait!" Sly replied quickly, "Aren't we going to see each other for another date?" Luna gave him a skeptical answer. "Mmmm...maybe," Luna replied and quickly walked inside the apartment. Sly looked stunned as she shut the door. 'Maybe she's just upset over the whole me touching her butt incident,' Sly thought and slowly made his way out of the complex.

Luna took a big sigh of relief as she set her large white purse on a nearby chair. "So, how did it go?" Leo asked as Luna walked past him. "Terrible," she replied, "Sly and I have nothing in common, yet he doesn't even show some respect for what I'm interested in." Luna then told Leo about the whole "they're a couple" and Sly's other opinions.

"I fully support him going to the military and being a firefighter," Luna included, "But, even if you don't agree with someone on something, can't he at least respect my decision on having a garden or trying in school." Leo shrugged his shoulders. "That's Sly for you," he replied, "He thinks he knows more than everyone else." Leo then walked to the bathroom and shut the door.

"Yes!" Leo said quietly to himself, "It turned out awful!" To be honest, he felt guilty saying that about his sister. But Leo could never stand Sly and having to deal with him as a in-law would be really terrible. "Now if only Luna could find someone who respected her more."

**A/N: I'm currently working on a two-parter based on the 10th Anniversary movie. There's one Chapter that I made up and one that's a little more canon based. It'll be out in a few days and I hope that, if your a fan of Faithshipping, you will enjoy it.**

**Stay tuned for that and the next Chapter of this story!  
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	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24!**

**A/N: I was told by a couple of anonymous reviews to try to speed up my Chapter releases. I'm trying as fast as I can and I apologize again for longer delays. I'm sorry! I'm just doing the best I can with how my schedule works.  
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**Anyways, here's another Chapter, with some more YuseixAkiza fluff.  
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Leo wasn't sure of what to do to help Luna get a boyfriend. He felt very protective of her, so he wanted to be with her. At the same time, he knew that he had to give her space and let her decide on her own. After all, it wasn't him that the lucky many was going to be with, it was going to be his sister. Leo sat down on the couch in the living room and remembered some school days back in London.

_Flashback_

As Leo and Luna walked to school, Leo noticed more people around them. They were still considered to be outcasts, since they didn't speak with a British accent or have any real ties to London. When Leo told some classmates that he was friends with Jack Atlas, many of them didn't believe him or care. When Leo tried to call Jack for proof, he didn't pick up, and everyone remembered him as the kid who lied about being friends with him.

For Luna, she was quick to realize that junior high aged girls were very tricky. She tried to be friends with a certain group of girls, only to find out that they were talking about her behind her back. So, Leo and Luna ended up sticking together as best as they could.

Anyways, as Leo had gotten sidetracked, he remembered how guys had started looking at his sister more often. With her new height came more eyes and with more eyes, that meant more trouble. Leo knew that they were looking at Luna, hoping to see a flash of what was underneath the school skirt or other perverted thoughts. At first, Luna believed that they were just being nice to them, which it was about time. However, Leo started getting asked by a bunch of guys if Luna was single. This made Leo suspicious.

Leo became even more concerned about his twin, when Luna started telling him that guys had asked her out. Leo decided to follow her and see what happens. Before the guy even got to the door, Leo was outside waiting for him. Sure enough, he caught the guy with his phone and talking to himself.

"Oh man! Wait until they guys see that I got a shot of Luna's underwear!" a chubby man said to, what he thought was himself. Instead, Leo caught the guy before he got to the door and he told Luna as she opened the door for him. That quickly scared off almost all of the guys who were thinking about talking to Luna about going on a date.

_End Flashback_

With Leo not having much success finding guys right for Luna in London, that meant finding someone here that might be good for her. So, that night, Leo decided to go out. His sister asked where he was going and Leo thought of a lie. "I'm...going to Dexter's," Leo replied, "To give him some company." Luna smiled. "That sounds like very nice thing to do. Have fun!" Leo smiled and went out the door.

As Leo walked downtown, he knew that finding a guy for Luna was going to be tough. After all, he didn't want other guys to think that he was looking for one. Leo knew that he wasn't allowed to be out super late, but he tried to find some place that would be good for young teens. "A bowling alley!" Leo cried as he spotted on around a corner. He then quickly ran inside.

By sheer luck, Leo spotted a friend inside. "Bob! Hey buddy!" Bob was with some friends from school. "Hey Leo. What are you doing here?" Leo put his hands behind his head. "Just walking around. Looking for something to do." Bob was confused. "That doesn't really sound like your style," Bob commented. Leo frowned and leaned in close.

"Okay. What I'm really doing is looking for a guy that my sister could hang out with." Bob gave him another confused look. "You mean like a boyfriend?" Leo nodded. "Could I ask one of your friends if they would like to?" Bob shrugged. "I guess, but do you have permission from Luna?" Leo put his arm around Bob. "Hey, if a guy can get past me, then he must be good enough for my sis." Bob laughed. "That's true. Now come on, lets get you some bowling shoes."

As Luna was cleaning up, she started to wonder how Leo was doing. Dexter and him probably found something fun to do together, but she still wanted to check in on him and if he was coming home. She got out her phone and dialed for him. She suddenly heard a ring, but it wasn't just on her phone. Luna hung up and called again, to find where the ringing was. She soon walked into the bedroom and spotted Leo's cell phone.

"Leo doesn't have his phone," Luna noted, as it was rather surprising, "Oh well. Guess I'll call Dexter's house then." She got on the video screen and dialed his number. "Hey Luna. What's up?" Dexter replied. "Hey Dexter. Is Leo there?" Dexter shook his head. "No. He's not." Luna became stunned. "Where is he? He told me that he was going to your house!" Dexter didn't know. "Sorry Luna. I haven't seen him all night." Luna became upset. It wasn't like Leo to lie to her. "Lets call all our friends and see if they've seen him." Dexter nodded and hung up.

The two of them then called their friends. Patty hadn't seen him and it made Luna disappointed. Dexter called Bob and sure enough, Bob had his phone with him. "Dexter! What's up?" Dexter's voice was frantic. "Have you seen Leo? His sister's looking for him!" Bob turned the bowling alley. "Yeah. He's right here with me." Dexter's voice quickly did a 180. "Oh thank goodness. Tell him to come home right away. I think Luna's worried about him."

"Sure thing. I will," Bob said as he walked up to Leo. "Leo," Bob said as he pulled him aside, "Dexter said that your sister's looking for you. You'd better go home." Leo's face became worried. "Oh snap!" he replied and he ran out of the bowling alley as fast as he could. Bob then turned to his phone. "So what was Leo doing with you?" Dexter asked and Bob explained what happened.

Leo quickly ran all the way home, except for catching his breath at a few stop lights. 'Oh man! Luna's going to cream me!' He slammed down the top level button in the elevator and quickly ran to the door. He swiped his ID card and then ran inside. "Luna?" Leo called for her. "Leo!" Luna replied and ran over to him. She put her arms around him in a hug. "I was so worried. What the heck were you doing?" Leo thought about lying again, but he had already done that once tonight and didn't want to dig a deeper hole.

"I was...trying to find a guy for you," Leo replied as he looked down in disappointment. Luna was baffled. "A guy? For me?" Leo nodded. "I wanted to find a boyfriend for you, since your date with Sly didn't work out so well. So, I went to the bowling alley and found Bob there. I asked if I could talk to some of the football players and he said yes. So, I did."

"Did you find anyone?" Luna asked and Leo shook his head. "I'm sorry Luna. I tried, but none of those guys seemed right for you. I'm sorry that I worried you and I'm sorry that I couldn't find a guy for you." Luna smiled and gave her brother another hug. "Leo. That's so sweet. But..." She leaned back to look at his face. "You didn't have to do that. It's okay. The perfect guy for me will come along eventually." She leaned in again. "I'm just so happy that you're all right. You...really scared me. Please promise me that you'll never lie to me like that again." Leo put his arms around his sister. "Okay. I promise. But...are you sure you're all right. I mean, I want to find a guy that is perfect for you." Luna nodded. "Yes Leo. I'll find a guy soon enough. You don't have to go find one for me. Who knows? Maybe I'll find him tomorrow morning." The two them smiled and then saw the time. "Well, lets get to bed," Luna decided and the two of them headed upstairs.

The following night, Akiza was sitting at home, flipping through TV channels with nothing to do. Since her parents had left for the campaign trail, Yusei had come over almost every day that week. Akiza was thankful for him taking time out of his day for her. He had also been there a couple of times when Akiza got a chance to speak with her parents. They said that they wanted Akiza to know that they loved her and were not using this as an excuse to forget about her. Akiza smiled and knew just how much her parents appreciated her being back in their lives.

But so far today, Yusei hadn't sent her any kind of message. Usually, if he was too busy or tired, he would send her a message and hope that she has a good day. Today was a Saturday, so he didn't have to work. Akiza decided that maybe Yusei had to clean up his apartment and just didn't have time for her today. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened and Akiza knew that Yusei had mentioned it a couple of times when they had spoken last. With that in mind, Akiza tried to go around her house and see if anything needed to be tided up.

She started in the living room, which had some blankets that needed to be re-folded. She then grabbed a wet cloth and started to clean off the big, giant TV. Once she was finished with that, she went to the kitchen and did the dishes, which she had put off for a day or so. She then straightened out the chairs and used the wet cloth from earlier, to clean them off. Afterwards, she decided to go to her room and cleaned that up. Her bed needed to be made and she had to hang up some clothes that were left on the floor. Once that was done, she sorted the laundry and put it in the washing machine. To be honest, this was stuff Akiza had to do, but she really wished she was doing something else.

As the wash was being done, Akiza yawned as she watched some TV on the couch. She then went on the treadmill for half an hour, before finally getting done with the laundry. 'This day is boring, boring, boring!' Akiza thought, 'I wish I could at least talk to someone.' She flipped out her phone and sent Yusei a message. "Hey! Just wanted to check in and make sure everything was all right. If you're not doing anything feel free to drop by!"

It wasn't until an hour later that Akiza got a reply. "I'm pretty busy right now. I'm not sure if I'll be able to come over or not. If I can't I'm sorry Akiza." Akiza smiled at Yusei's sympathy. "It's okay," she replied, "I was just worried about you. That's all." Yusei replied a few moments later. "Thanks so much Akiza. I love you." Akiza repeated Yusei's last sentence and then hanged up.

After another hour, Akiza debated what to do for dinner. It was then that the doorbell rang. Akiza got up and was surprised that it was Yusei, standing in the slowly fading sunlight. Akiza looked up and noticed that he was wearing the cap of the local professional baseball team of New Domino City as well as a t-shirt with their logo on it. "Would it be okay if I came over and watched the baseball game with you on TV?" Yusei asked once they had greeted each other. Akiza nodded. "Sure. Come on in." As Yusei walked into the living room, Akiza's stomach started to groin. "I'm really hungry Yusei. So, do you mind if I order a pizza or something to eat?" Yusei shook his head. "Not at all. Go right ahead." Akiza looked up a local pizza shop and ordered. As she waited for the pizza to arrive, Yusei turned on the game.

"I never thought that you were much of a sports guy," Akiza noted, "I always thought you were only into Turbo Duels." Yusei shook his head. "Nah. I still like to follow the hometown teams," Yusei replied, "After all, a lot of people got rid of team hats and jerseys when the teams started to tank or got rid of a player. It actually made for good sleeping clothes." Akiza looked towards the screen. "Well, you certainly surprised me," Akiza said aloud, as she never really had time to follow sports teams growing up. That didn't mean she hated sports, it's just that she never really got a chance to follow them. "Well, I guess you've still got a lot to learn about me," Yusei replied as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend.

The game had already stated once the pizza arrived. Akiza payed for it and then brought it to the living room. "Just be careful about the sofa," Akiza reminded him, "I'll see if we have some disposable plates." After finding the plates and a couple of sodas, Akiza brought them over to Yusei, who had already eaten a slice out the pizza. "Way to wait for me," Akiza said with some sarcasm in her voice. She gave him a playful nudge and they both said grace before digging in.

Once the pizza was mostly consumed, Akiza picked up the box and then brought it to the kitchen. "I can help you," Yusei offered, but Akiza declined. "You're my guest, so you just sit tight and watch the game." Yusei kept his butt firmly planted on the couch, as Akiza finished cleaning up. Once that was over, she went and took a seat on the far right side of the couch. Yusei spotted a blanket, which Akiza had folded earlier, and then pointed to it.

"Would it be all right if I grabbed that blanket?" Yusei asked and Akiza shrugged. "Sure. I don't mind." Yusei got up and picked up the large, navy blue blanket. He then gently put it over, not only himself, but Akiza as well. Akiza was surprised as Yusei moved closer to her and then wrapped his arms around her. He leaned his face onto her shoulder, as he sighed happily. "My little Akiza," he said before turning his attention back to the game on the screen.

After a inning straight of them being cheek to cheek, Yusei sighed and said, "I love being with you like this." Akiza was surprised by just how affectionate Yusei was being, but did Yusei even realize what exactly he was doing? Akiza turned to him during a commercial and asked. "Yusei...um...do you know what we're doing right now?" Yusei looked at her.

"We're snuggling right now. Aren't we?" Akiza looked away. "Um...yeah," she replied, as she was surprised Yusei even knew what that was. Yusei pulled her in close again, before realizing that Akiza wasn't watching either the game or himself. Was...was he making her uncomfortable? Akiza looked at him again and Yusei quickly saw the forced smile on her face. He quickly took his hands off her and leaned back.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Yusei asked. Akiza saw the worry and concern in his eyes. She shook her head. "No, it's just that I'm not used to us cuddling like this." Yusei became determined to try and get Akiza to enjoy it. He pulled her into his embrace again and made sure the blanket covered most of their bodies. "Is this comfy?" he asked and Akiza nodded. Yusei turned back to the TV. "I guess if we're together like this, that makes you my snuggle buddy." Akiza tried to hold in a laugh at Yusei's corny name, but couldn't. She let out a hearty laugh.

"What kind of name is that?" she asked as she shook her head. "It's...uh..." Akiza just continued to laugh and Yusei finally laughed at himself. The two of them then turned back to the baseball game, as there was an amazing play on screen.

The longer that Akiza sat in Yusei's embrace, the more she was enjoying it. She got to be close to him and smell his unique scent. She got to get a kiss every now and again and he whispered something sweet during every commercial break. "I love you," he whispered softly as a hair commercial ran on-screen. Akiza leaned over and repeated the same phrase. She sneaked a kiss on his marker, as the game returned.

Akiza started to feel sleepy as the game reached the 7th inning stretch. Still, she had to get up and use the ladies room. "I really don't wanna get up," Akiza informed her boyfriend, "But I need to use the facilities." Yusei opened up the blanket for her to leave and when she came back, he wrapped her in both the blanket and his arms again. Akiza sighed softly as she closed her eyes. 'We should do this more often,' Akiza thought as she rested her eyes.

By the time the game had ended, New Domino City had gotten pounded. Still, Yusei had made it through the entire game and he had to refrain from shouting at the screen a few times. He looked over at his girlfriend, who was sleeping soundly against the side of couch. Yusei looked at her with her ruby red glasses. He remembered that it was a year ago at this time that Akiza and him had gotten glasses for the first time. He had enjoyed wearing them and so did Akiza. To be honest, Yusei was even more memorialized by Akiza when she started wearing her frames. It showed her big brown eyes that Yusei admired and it was the finishing touch of an already beautiful woman. He smiled at her and admired her for a few moments. He wanted to give her a kiss, but that might wake her up. So, he instead softly said and mouthed the words "I love you."

He slowly slid his arms from around her tiny frame and slowly tried to get up from his seat. He had almost made it clear, but the cool wind from moving the blanket caused Akiza to stir. She shook her head and half-opened her eyes. "Hmm...what?" Akiza asked. "The game's over," Yusei whispered to her. "Oh. Did we win?"

"No. We got pounded. Still, they've been pretty bad all year, so it's no surprise. Listen, it's a little before 10, so I'd better get going." Akiza shook her head. "You can stay here," Akiza replied, "My parents aren't home and besides, it's comfy sitting with you." Yusei had to admit that he enjoyed snuggling up with his girlfriend. "You can sleep here with me," Akiza added. As much as Yusei wanted to do that, he knew that it should be saved for another day.

"I'm sorry Akiza," he replied, "But I'm saving that for another time. How about you get ready for bed and I'll tuck you in?" Akiza smiled. Being put to bed by Yusei would be a good end to the night. "All right," Akiza replied as she yawned. Normally, Akiza went to bed a lot later, but Yusei's warm presence had put a sleepy spell on her. Akiza got up and Yusei took her hand. He shut off the TV and they slowly went upstairs. Yusei escorted her to the bathroom and waited outside. 'This should only take a few minutes,' Yusei thought.

He heard Akiza groan loudly. "Uhhhh," she groaned before a few bowel moments were made. 'Oh crap,' Yusei thought and he put his hand to his head.

After that, Akiza brushed and flossed her teeth. Yusei heard her gargle with mouthwash as well and Akiza brushed her hair one last time. Yusei smiled as the door opened again and Akiza stepped out with him. They made their way to her room, before Akiza quickly let go of his hand and stood in front of the door. "You're waiting here," she demanded, "I'm not having you see what I look like just yet." Yusei nodded nervously, as both the thought of seeing Akiza in her underwear and the thought of what Akiza's father would do to him if he saw her crept into his mind. Akiza shut the door and smiled happily that they had gotten that out the way.

Akiza then took off her shirt and pants, leaving her in the position that bothered both her and Yusei. Of course, Akiza did feel a tiny bit nervous, since he was technically only a few feet from her. She then put on a gray t-shirt and baggy pants, before she finally sat on the edge of her bed and putting her glasses in a case. She moved the covers a bit and the called to Yusei.

"Okay, you can come in." Yusei slowly opened the door, before leaning inside, just to be safe. When he saw she was fully dressed, Akiza pulled the sheets forward and laid down in her bed. Yusei walked up and pulled the sheets up. "Is this good?" Yusei questioned, as he had never done the task before. "It's fine," Akiza replied. Yusei then turned off the lamp and he went to turn off the light switch. "Good night," Akiza called and Yusei turned towards the bed. The only light in the room was green and was coming from Akiza's alarm clock. There was something he had wanted to do since Akiza had fallen asleep, but now felt like the perfect time.

He walked up to the bed and Akiza laid on her back. She turned to him, but Yusei didn't say a word. He leaned forward and kissed the bare part of her forehead, just below her hairline and hair brace. He then stood tall and Akiza and him locked eyes. "Good night," he answered, "I love you." Akiza smiled. "I love you too." He then headed to the door. "Sweet dreams," he said and Akiza thanked him for it. He the slowly shut the door and walked away.

He made sure to turn off all the lights and double checked that he locked the door, to keep Akiza safe from intruders. He then shut the door and smiled. 'Man. What I did was pretty cool,' he thought as he stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked down the street.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the YuseixAkiza fluff and I hope you come back for the next Chapter.**

**Hint: Yusei gets her an expensive gift.  
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	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25!**

**A/N: Yusei finally coughs up money to buy Akiza an expensive gift, but will she accept it?  
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**P.S. Sorry about the wait, but I wrote it longer than normal to make up for it.  
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Akiza sighed as she looked out over the town where she was attending school. Akiza couldn't help, but think of it as being similar to New Domino City. Not too big, but not too small either. She sighed as she looked at the pictures that Yusei and her had taken in their swimsuits together. She smiled at seeing the two of themselves happily smiling for the camera. Of course, just being with him did that to her and she knew it was the same for him.

Still, Yusei had, not even once, spent a ton of money on her, but Akiza was just fine with that. Akiza remembered how they shopped together just a short while ago, getting school supplies with the gift card he bought her. Besides, Akiza would much rather take a gift like that, which she could use, over something that might only turn up years after she had received it.

Akiza hadn't really spoken to many of her other classmates outside of the classroom. It was part of her DNA, but at at the same time, since leaving her Black Rose days, Akiza had been able to open up to only her closest friends. So, Akiza had taken a more visual notice of what other people had and were like, instead of talking face-to-face. Of course, that opened the can of worms of "don't judge a book by it's cover", but with Akiza only being with these certain people for a few years, it wasn't make or beak on getting to know people. Plus, there was the fact that Akiza's home was an ocean away, rather than within the country.

With that in mind, Akiza took firm notice on something that was both romantic and expensive: jewelry. The first thing Akiza noticed was that many girls had their ears pierced. Akiza had never been a fan of having a needle stuck in her ear, but at the same time wanted to look good, especially for formal occasions. So, she had gotten clip on earrings and they looked almost as if Akiza had endured a few moments of pain. Still, she only had a few pairs, as she wasn't into the hoop ring or other huge earrings. Just a simple red circle was more than enough for her.

She then noticed that many girls had rings and bracelets. Akiza was never a fan of the latter and as for the former, well...she was certainly hoping she'd have one on a special finger, but that was of course a long ways away.

Finally, Akiza had noticed that girls had necklaces. Akiza had her own necklace, of course, as it was a cross-shaped yellow with a green circle in the center. To be honest, it was one of the few things that Akiza had from her entire transformation: when she was the black rose and under Sayer's grasp, to Yusei opening her heart, to her becoming one of the Signers and saving the world, and finally up to the present day. It only it could talk, it probably would remember more things than she did.

Akiza smiled, as the necklace was in a small box. Akiza didn't usually wear it now, but whenever she wore her old Victorian-style outfit, it was automatically around her neck. Akiza looked at it one more time, before shutting the box. She then checked the time and realized that she had to be heading for school.

It was only a short walk to the building and Akiza had plenty of time, but she still decided to take a faster pace as she passed some students talking in a circle. She went past the smoker kids, who smelt exactly like the stuff they smoke, and finally made it inside. Akiza went around a couple corners, before spotting her classroom. She then took a seat and caught her breath.

After waiting a few minutes the teacher came in and class stated. Akiza took notes like usual, until about two-thirds of the way through class. "Now, I want you to do an assignment on what we just talked about," the teacher instructed, "For that, you are going to have a partner." Akiza sighed quietly to herself.

'Oh no!' Akiza thought, 'I hate group projects!' Akiza looked around, trying to find someone to work with. She spotted a girl with short black hair, was a little on the chubby side, and was a full head shorter than her. "Can I be with you?" Akiza asked, as she knew she was decent at participating in class. Plus, she was also a English-speaking transfer student, so it was easy for them to communicate. "Sure thing," she replied, "My name's Amanda and you're Akiza right?" Akiza confirmed that she was. The teacher then handed out more instructions, before they finally got to work and plan on what they would do.

"Would it be okay if we went over to your dorm?" Amanda asked. Akiza wasn't sure. She hadn't had anyone over to her apartment since starting college and she wasn't a big fan of showing people her stuff. "Could we try your place instead?" Amanda shook her head. "It's always loud and my roommates always have people over. So, it's best if we don't do it at my place. Where do you live on campus, so I can come over?" Akiza knew she was stuck and knew she had to invite Amanda over. Besides, it was only _one_ person. "I live in the apartment complex on the north side," Akiza muttered.

"Those are those really nice apartments!" Amanda replied, "You are so lucky! That must have cost a ton of money to get!" Akiza nodded sheepishly and refrained from telling her that Mr. Izinski was a senator. When class was over, Amanda and Akiza wanted to get the project done as soon as possible, so they headed for Akiza's apartment. Along the way, the two of them talked back and forth.

"So Akiza, do you have a boyfriend yet?" Akiza looked down. "Um...yeah," she replied nervously, "It's just that he's back home in New Domino City." Amanda smiled. "Oh! So you're in a long distance relationship! Does he send you mushy e-mails and messages and all that stuff?" Akiza wasn't sure. "We do talk a lot on video chat," Akiza noted, "But I'm not really sure if the messages and conversations are super mushy stuff."

"Oh, so he's not into romance," Amanda concluded, but Akiza shook her head. "Oh no," Akiza replied, "He's very romantic and has a huge soft spot. It's just that we don't really go on and on and on about it. We tend to keep our most romantic moments to just the two of us, but we still enjoy being romantic out in the open." Amanda nodded. "Well, it's good that he's okay with showing his soft spot. By the way, this guy of yours, what's his name?" Akiza told her it was Yusei.

"Yusei huh," Amanda repeated as they stopped at a light, "So let me guess, he's a super hunk. After all, you're pretty darn attractive Akiza. Guys would be falling head over heels for you." Akiza laughed, before answering her question. "Oh he really is," Akiza replied, "He's such a handsome guy with his dark black hair and comforting smile. When he puts his arms around me, I feel warm and safe." Amanda smiled. 'This guy must be totally ripped,' Amanda thought as they stopped in front of the apartment complex. "Lets go inside," Akiza instructed, "So follow me."

Akiza lead Amanda to her apartment. It was a different room number, but the rooms all pretty much looked the same. The boring white walls were completely bare, as Akiza had no real intent of putting up any posters or stuff like that. Once Amanda was allowed inside, she looked around the room. "Wow Akiza! This is some place you've got here!" Akiza smiled and thanked her for the compliment. "My desk is over here," Akiza said as Amanda took a seat and Akiza went to find another chair. As Amanda sat down and looked around she spotted a picture that Akiza had accidentally left out. It was a picture of just Yusei in his swimsuit from last summer.

"Is this your boyfriend?" Amanda asked. "Yep," Akiza replied, "Isn't he dreamy?" Amanda had to hold back from almost laughing. "But Akiza, I thought you said he was a hunk." Akiza frowned. "He is." Amanda pointed at the picture. "But Akiza, he's doesn't have any abs or huge biceps. How can you call a guy a hunk if he doesn't even have that?" Akiza smiled and knew exactly what to say.

"You don't need those things to call a guy a hunk," Akiza replied, "You can be a hunk in more than just physical appearance. In my opinion, Yusei is a hunk with his heart. He had helped me through good times and bad. He helped me learn how to become a Turbo Duelist and so much more. He is always there for me, no matter how far apart we are. He has my back and I have his. I also know that he cares about me more than I'll ever know. That makes him a hunk in my eyes. He may not look like one on the outside, but he's a gorgeous one on the inside. He wants me to be happy and to make me smile. In my eyes, that means more to me than the tightest abs or biggest biceps a man can have. And it's the reason why I love him."

Amanda looked on in awe for a few moments. "I've...never thought of a guy like that," Amanda replied as she set the picture back where she found it. Akiza then took a seat next to her. "Well, should we get started?" Akiza asked and they both nodded.

Once their project was done, Akiza and Amanda went out and grabbed a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant. Amanda teased Akiza about Yusei a little more, as she received a quick message from him. Akiza replied back and told him that she loved him, before hanging up. The two of them then said goodbye and saw each other a few days later in class. A lot of the students still hadn't started, but Akiza and Amanda put the finishing touches on after class was over. They ended up with a perfect score on the project.

A few weeks later, it was time for Akiza's 21st Birthday. Yusei contacted her through video chat and held a cupcake up for her. "Make a wish," he replied and Akiza rolled her eyes. "Yusei. Didn't we do this last year?" Yusei leaned in close. "Hey! It's a good excuse for me to splurge on dessert." Akiza and him laughed as Akiza closed her eyes and made a wish. Yusei then asked her what she was going to to that night.

"Amanda wants to take me out." Akiza replied, "But I really don't want to go." Yusei smiled. "Just tell her that." Akiza looked down. "I did, but she insists that your 21st Birthday is a once in a lifetime thing. So, I guess I'll be going out with her." Yusei tried to cheer her up. "Hey, if you don't want to drink, tell her no. If you do end up drinking, just be careful with how much you have." Akiza nodded at Yusei's advice. "We're just going down the street, so I won't have to worry about driving." Yusei smiled. "Good. I want you to be safe Akiza. Please be careful and always have an eye on what you are drinking." Akiza nodded. "Don't worry Yusei. I will."

Later, Amanda led Akiza to the bar a short ways from campus. She had invited some of her friends along with. When Akiza went inside, there was a dance floor and lights shining on it. "Come on Birthday girl! Lets get you something to drink!" Akiza sighed and they made their way over to the bar. "What do you want?" the bartender asked. Akiza decided to take a look at the wine list. To be honest, she didn't know what kind of wine any of them were. She sighed as Amanda suggested a few drinks for her to try.

"Those don't sound very appealing," Akiza replied, trying not to sound too much like a Debbie downer. "What about this one?" Amanda asked, "It has one of your favorite sodas in in." Akiza thought about it for a moment, before just going with it. In truth, she didn't want any alcohol, but if it meant not having Amanda and her friends bug her about drinking, it was worth it. "All right," Akiza replied and the bartender got to work. Soon, Akiza had a drink in front of her after he checked her ID. Akiza took one last breath and took a sip.

'Eww! This is gross!' Akiza thought as she looked away from the drink, 'I can still taste the alcohol!' Amanda went up to her. "So? How is it?" Akiza put on a fake smile. "It's...fine," Akiza replied. Amanda pointed over to a table. "Matt is over there watching our drinks for us. Why don't you leave it there and come dance with us?" Akiza nodded and quickly set her drink on the table. Once that was finished, she headed for the dance floor and tried to move with the beat. To be honest, Akiza never really danced before, so she wasn't sure if she looked good or more like a fool. Sure enough, a few guys came close to her, and Akiza knew they were trying to get with her. Each time, Akiza excused herself to the restroom and the guys thankfully took the hint.

Amanda's friends kept asking to buy Akiza another drink, but she politely refused. Finally, Amanda felt as though Akiza wasn't really enjoying her Birthday as much as she could. She ordered the same drink as the first one and then brought it over to the table, where they were all sitting. "Here," Amanda said as she slid the drink in front of her, "Here's another one." Akiza looked at the drink. She had been trying to slowly sip her first drink, hoping it would last for the entire night. She didn't want another drink, so she knew she had to do something drastic.

'Maybe if I act drunk, they won't let me have anything more to drink,' Akiza thought. She then took one long last sip of her first drink, closing her eyes as she let it slid down her throat. Akiza quickly sighed in relief before starting to sway back and forth. A few moments later, Amanda's friends took notice.

"Hey Akiza? Are you feeling all right?" one male friend asked. "Oh I'm doing _fine," _Akiza replied in as drunk of a tone as she could do, "I'm just going to go on the uh...uh...light show with everyone else." Akiza stumbled out of her seat and then continued all the way to the dance floor. Amanda and her friends watched as Akiza put her hands in the air and started waving them. To be honest, it looked like she was doggy paddling, only without the water. Amanda quickly looked at the drink she had bought Akiza. "Maybe I shouldn't have gotten her this," Amanda said as she picked it up and started drinking it. They made sure to keep an eye on Akiza, as they didn't want some pervert trying to take advantage of her.

After one song, Akiza went back to the table. To be honest, Akiza found it to be kind of fun to act drunk and stupid. Sometimes, she had trouble holding her laughter in. As Akiza checked her watch, she decided that she wanted to go home. She leaned on the table and talked rather loudly. "I wanna go home!" Akiza whined. Amanda and her friends looked at her. _"Please mommy! I wanna go home," _Akiza whined as she looked at Amanda. "All right. I think you've had enough fun for tonight," Amanda replied, "Come on. Lets go." They all got up and headed for the door.

As Akiza purposefully stumbled and walked rather clumsily back to school, Amanda and her friends talked as though Akiza was invisible. "Isn't it kind of odd how Akiza's drunk after only one drink?" Matt asked as they walked by a coffee shop. For a moment, Akiza's face turned serious and she wondered if her cover was blown. "Nah!" the other male replied, "Look at that figure of hers. She probably weighs about two pounds." Matt and the other guy looked started looking at Akiza's figure. Even though she wasn't wearing a tight form hugging outfit, Akiza's outfit still gave the suggestion that she had an hourglass figure. "Man! That's some hourglass if I ever saw one!" Matt noted and the two guys laughed.

Akiza mentally scolded herself. She didn't like how the guys were checking her out, but if it meant going home and not having to drink some more, then it was worth it.

They soon were back at Akiza's apartment complex and everyone, but Amanda took notice of how nice it was (at least compared to their dorm room). Akiza sloppily handed over her keys and Amanda got her inside. "Now you go straight to bed," Amanda said like she was Akiza's mother, "We don't want you to go out and get into trouble."

"Don't worry! I won't!" Akiza replied as she waved at them. They all waved back and Amanda shut the door. As soon as the door closed, Akiza smiled as she turned around and talked in her normal voice. "Well that was fun," Akiza noted to herself as she sat down and headed for her laptop. Later, Yusei got a kick out of Akiza having to act drunk, if it meant not having to drink some more.

"I didn't want to drink, but I felt as though I should at least have something," Akiza replied after telling her story. Yusei laughed. "That sounds like me," he replied, "But at least I only had to walk across the street, as opposed to you having to walk a few blocks." Akiza put her hands on her hips. "But at least my figure was a better excuse than your is. A guy should be able to handle more alcohol." Yusei shook his head. "You're forgetting that Jack and Crow were already drunk," Yusei fired back, "So it was easy to convince them that I was intoxicated." Akiza and Yusei laughed, before Akiza and Yusei said goodbye.

Only a month later, Akiza was returning home again. She hummed happily as seeing Yusei and her family in person was going to be a blast like always. She smiled as she got on the plane, ready to enjoy one month off for vacation.

A ocean away, Yusei woke up and groaned loudly. His throat felt dry and he quickly grabbed the water bottle beside his bed, hoping it would relieve him. He sighed as it still hurt and his bedtime clothes felt wet with sweat. He sighed as he looked at the time, as he didn't want to get up. He forced himself to slowly get out of bed and he got into his regular clothes. After eating a small bowl of cereal, which was less than his usual amount, he went back to bed. "I'll just lay here and rest until Martha comes to get me," Yusei said to himself and he laid back down on the bed.

About an hour later, the doorbell rang, and Martha came inside. Yusei had gotten her a key to his apartment, in case of an emergency. Yusei groaned as he hadn't fallen asleep again, even though he had put his eye mask back on. Martha went straight to his room and saw he was in his regular clothes, yet he was laying on the bed; which was rather odd for him. "Yusei? Are you all right?" she asked as Yusei took off the mask and put it on his nightstand. "I'm fine Martha. Come on. Lets go to the airport." Before Yusei could leave his room, Martha noticed his tired sounding voice. "Hmm. It's not like you to lay in bed after breakfast," she replied out loud. She put her hand on his forehead and gasped. "It's warm," she concluded, "Yusei, say awww." Yusei did, but the dryness in his throat caused him to cough. "You're sick," Martha decided and Yusei nodded. "I know, but I've got to go to the airport to see Akiza." He tried to get past her, but he was easily no match for Martha.

"Oh no you don't! You're staying in bed." Yusei looked at her frantically. "Martha please!" he pleaded, but it was no use. Yusei sighed as he got changed into his bed clothes again and climbed into bed. "I think you should get some rest. Do you need anything?" Yusei handed her his re-usable water bottle. "Can I have some more water? I'm really thirsty." Martha nodded and got on it right away.

At the airport, Akiza felt the frigidly cold New Domino City air walking inside to the airport. She then saw her family waiting at the gate. She smiled as she ran up to them and gave them each a hug. She then looked around. "Where's Martha and Yusei?" Akiza asked. The Izinski's sighed and grew worried. "He's..."

Yusei coughed as he groaned and looked up at the ceiling. Yusei had taken off his eye mask as Martha gave him a thermometer. Once she was done, he sighed as he looked over at the clock. "Akiza's plane arrived a few minutes ago. I wonder is she's looking for me right now." He closed his eyes and kicked himself for not being there right now. He felt terrible and imagined the disappointment that was probably on her face right that very second. He turned on his side and imagined how he would try to make it up to her. About fifteen minutes later, which felt like two for Yusei as he imagined, a person knocked on the front door, and Martha went to answer it.

"Where's Yusei? Is he okay?" Akiza asked as Martha stood in front of her. Akiza frantically raced past her, before Martha got her to stop. "Wait Akiza!" Akiza froze as Martha walked up to her. "I think this would be very good practice for you, since you're going to become a doctor someday. Do you have that big book full of diseases?" Akiza had to buy a big, expensive book filled with lots of different things in. "Yes!" she replied, "It's one of the things I have to bring back and forth, since I have to change dorm rooms every year."

"Well you could try it out on Yusei and see how you do," Martha suggested, "I'm pretty sure I know what Yusei has, but I'd like to see how accurately you can do." Akiza nodded. Even though she had been finishing up just her generals, Akiza jumped at the opportunity. This is what Akiza wanted to do anyways, since she wasn't into blood or all of the life or death situations that other doctors had to deal with. Just helping give check ups and diagnosis would let her help a lot of people, which was Akiza's number one goal. Not to mention that this is the type of situation she would have to deal with, once she got her degree. She then ran back outside to the limo, where her luggage was.

Yusei coughed as he heard some voices in the hall. "I wonder if that's Akiza?" Yusei wondered. Just then, the door opened up and it was Akiza with a big smile on her face. Yusei sat up quickly and, at least for a moment, all of his pain and suffering went away. "Akiza! It's so nice to see you!" Akiza seemingly ignored him as she pulled in a chair and sat down at his bedside. "Sorry Yusei, but I'm not Akiza. Today, I'm _doctor _Akiza and you are my patient. The first thing you need to do is lie down." Yusei did as he was told as Akiza then looked at a sheet of paper with a checklist of things she had to do.

"Okay. Now, what kind of symptoms are you having?" Yusei was baffled, but decided to play along. "Uh...I have a dry throat, a fever, I'm sweating a lot, and I'm very thirsty." Akiza nodded as she wrote it all down. "Okay." She then took out a Popsicle stick. "Say ahh." Yusei did and she looked down his throat for a few moments. "Very good. Now let me take your temperature." She did and noticed that it was 102. "Okay and let me check and see what it might be." Akiza looked through her book and found what it was.

"Okay. You have a case of the flu," Akiza noted and then read off a few facts about it. "And in some rare cases some people have..." Akiza gasped and the book in her lap hit the deck. She quickly leaned over and grabbed Yusei's right hand. "Huh? What?" Yusei asked as she looked at him with pleading eyes. "Oh Yusei! Please don't leave me!" Yusei looked at her for a few moments, before understanding what she meant. He took his spare hand and grabbed his water bottle. After taking a few big gulps, he set it back down and sat up. His voice sounded like normal, even with his sick condition.

"Akiza. You don't have to ever worry about me leaving you, because I'm always right here." Yusei wanted to touch where he was pointing, but it would have gotten him to second base. Akiza looked down at his finger. "My breast? Yusei this isn't the time to talk about my cleavage." Yusei chuckled as he shook his head. "No Akiza. I'll always be in your heart." Akiza smiled. Now his words made sense. "And I'll always be in yours?" Akiza asked hopefully and he nodded.

"Oh Yusei," Akiza spoke softly. "That's so sweet." Yusei and her locked eyes. "No matter what happens to me Akiza, I am in your heart and in your heart alone." Akiza breathed a dreamy sigh. "And I am always in your heart and your heart alone," Akiza replied, "No matter what happens to me." Akiza and Yusei smiled at one another, until Yusei had to cover his cough. "Ugh. But I still have to flu," he replied. Akiza smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Well, my doctor's advice is to get some rest," she replied. Yusei nodded and Akiza tried to leave as quietly as she could.

"So, how'd it go?" Martha asked. "He's got the flu," Akiza replied. Martha nodded. "I knew it. Now I'll make him some soup." The Izinski's then offered to leave and let Yusei rest. Martha thought that was a good idea and they headed back home.

A few days later, once Yusei had recovered, Yusei offered to take Akiza out to lunch. On their way back, Yusei decided to take a different route than the one from which they came. "Yusei, where are we going?" Akiza asked, "It's really cold out here." Yusei hated hearing that Akiza was cold, but he knew what he was doing would cheer her up. "Just a little bit further," he replied as they rounded a corner. Once they got about halfway up the street, Yusei stepped in front of Akiza.

"Now, I want you to close your eyes and wait until I get back." Akiza became worried. "But what if someone tries to kidnap me?" Yusei froze at the thought. "Okay. You can keep your eyes open, but you have to look in that direction." Yusei pointed behind Akiza. "All right," she replied and turned around. She heard Yusei run a few steps, before she couldn't hear him anymore.

Akiza then waited in silence until a few minutes later, he came back. "Okay. Now cover your eyes and on the count of three, turn around, and open them." Akiza put her hands on her eyes. "One...two...three!" Yusei counted and Akiza turned around. She turned to see a familiar bouquet of red roses in front of her. "Sorry I couldn't give them to you on the day you came back," Yusei replied sheepishly, but Akiza happily took them. "It's okay," she replied and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She grabbed his hand and the two of them walked back to Akiza's house. Akiza admired how the flowers looked really beautiful in the snow-covered sidewalks and streets.

Once they were back, Yusei stayed for a few minutes to warm up, before heading back home. He was more than happy that Akiza got to have her flowers and seeing her smile made him jump for joy. Still, as Yusei walked into his apartment, he remembered that he hadn't bought Akiza a gift for Christmas. He didn't want it to be like a few years ago, so he wanted to get the gift buying done now. He sat down in his room and looked at a photo of the two of them.

It seemed as though every picture of them was great, as the two of them were smiling happily at a restaurant. Akiza had her familiar attire on and her green and gold necklace hanged on her neck. Now that Yusei knew she like the color green, it made sense why she enjoyed it so much. Still, Yusei wasn't sure how, when, or exactly why she got it. He had never asked her about it. He saw it's familiar cross shape and traced it with his right pointer finger. One long downward side with a short one near the top. Yusei thought about how much jewelry Akiza had. To be honest, it wasn't very much.

'Maybe I should get her something,' Yusei thought, 'But what would she like?'

About a week and a half later, it was Christmas Day. Yusei and Martha went to the Izinski's house after having it at Martha's the night before. Yusei didn't have a gift box and instead held onto a very small one in his front pocket. It was small enough that it wasn't too noticeable and it kept Akiza at bay on what he was getting her. This year, everyone decided to wait a little longer when it came to opening gifts. They all talked and chatted for about an hour and a half, before they finally decided to get their gifts. Their parents left the two of them alone under the tree as Akiza and Yusei turned to face each other.

Akiza was first to give her gift to Yusei. He slowly and carefully opened it, even though what was inside was not very delicate. Akiza smiled once Yusei opened it and got to see what it was. "A cookbook?" Yusei asked. "Well yeah," Akiza replied, "You always talked about how much you hated having to constantly eat Ramon noodles back in the WRGP. So, I thought this might give you some ideas on some new things to try." Yusei looked through the book. "Some of these sound really good: broccoli and cheddar chicken tortilla soup, spicy meatballs." He gasped. "A buffalo chicken wrap! Thank you so much Akiza! I'm getting hungry already!" Akiza giggled and Yusei took a moment to set his gift aside. He reached into his pocket and took his gift for Akiza out.

"Here you go Akiza. Merry Christmas." Akiza saw the small box and knew it must be some type of jewelry. She slowly unwrapped the box and then lifted up the white as snow lid. Akiza gasped when she saw what it was. "Yusei! This is beautiful!"

Inside the box was a small, heart shaped necklace. Small yelled lines went both horizontally and vertically, making for small square shapes all around the heart. Akiza looked at it some more, as Yusei went by her side. "You know when I said I will always be in your heart?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. "Well this is a sign of that. Now you will always have something to remember that by, no matter how far away you are." Akiza smiled at the necklace, as now it had an even bigger significance. "Do you wanna try it on?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. He took her hand and led her to the bathroom. There, Yusei took out the long yellow chain and carefully tried to get it both unstuck and then back together again. After some difficulty, he managed to get it hooked together. Akiza had her left hand by her mouth the whole time he was getting on her, admiring the heart's beauty.

Once he got it on, Yusei took a few steps back and let Akiza admire herself in the mirror. She moved back and forth, looking at it from many angles. "Oh Yusei. This is wonderful! Thank you!" She turned around and pressed him gently into the opened door, which was leaning against a bathroom closet. It took only a moment for the kiss to turn passionate, as Akiza and Yusei quickly traded saliva. Once they kissed some more, enjoying the bliss they were feeling, they leaned back and smiled.

"My Christmas, my little Yusei," Akiza said softly. "Merry Christmas, my little Akiza." The two of them hugged, before their parents spotted them in the entryway of the restroom. "My, my, don't you two look happy?" Martha commented as the couple looked on. Akiza's parents saw Akiza's jewelry. "Akiza! What a beautiful necklace!" her mother exclaimed, "Can I see it?" Akiza nodded as her mother examined it some more. Mr. Izinski gave Yusei a slight nudge as he leaned in.

"That was a very good choice you made Yusei." Yusei thanked him and he watched as his girlfriend and her mother admired the necklace in the mirror some more.

Later, Yusei and Akiza went to take a photo in front of the Christmas tree. Yusei pushed his book behind him, as they normally kept their gifts hidden in their photos. Yusei turned to Akiza and asked if he should take the necklace off. "No thank you Yusei," Akiza replied, "I think this is one time that I want to remember what I got for Christmas." Yusei agreed and they pulled each other close.

"On the count of three smile," Ms. Izinski reminded them and when she did, the two of them showed off a big grin. Of course, this year, Akiza had a bigger reason to smile. She had gotten a expensive gift from Yusei, as he had forgotten to cover up the price he paid for it. Akiza said she didn't mind seeing the dollar sign, but Yusei kicked himself for it. Still, Akiza gave him a kiss and the two of them were happy, since this was one Christmas that they would remember for a very long time.

**A/N: Apologizes on the long wait, but I hope this was worth it. I kind of combined three small Chapters into one.**

**I work almost everyday next week, so I apologize in advance if the next Chapter is a little late as well.  
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	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26  
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**Before I start, I just wanted to address a review on another one of my stories "Not What I Expected":  
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**No homo: I will be finishing that story soon. I'm working on it a little bit at a time. Sorry for the inconvenience.  
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**Thanks for the reviews and views! It really means a lot to me  
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Dexter sighed as he looked outside his window. Today was the last day of Christmas vacation and he knew that meant he had to go back to school tomorrow. Back to..._that place. _Dexter didn't mind Duel Academy as an educational facility. The teachers were pretty decent and he enjoyed getting good grades in school. Still, outside of that, it was the other students that were a problem. Dexter sighed, knowing that it would mean going back to the place where he would get sneaky looks and talking about him behind his back.

He knew that he would have to return to the place where he would be called a name, that the other students had given to him. It had started in one of his classes, just working on a regular old assignment. As Dexter was about halfway through, a kid next to him asked if he could borrow a pencil. Dexter gave him one and the kid asked if he liked a certain type of candy bar. Dexter replied that he did and a kid sitting behind him got an idea. "Hey! That'd be a good name for you Dexter!"

And that was it. A simple conversation turned into a name that followed him around school. Heck, even girls called him by that name as a joke. Dexter didn't know what to do, so he turned to Yusei, Leo, and Luna for help. They told him, "Don't let it bother you," and, "Just try to let it slide." But...it was so hard. Walking from to class was difficult when a group of guys Dexter barely knew would call him by that name. It felt as though they were everywhere and around every corner. Dexter didn't have a problem with the name itself, it was just the constant name calling that bothered him. Leo suggested talking back and the twins thought of a few things to say to them, but they ultimately didn't work. Telling a teacher didn't do much good, as there was only so much they could punish them for. Plus, it made Dexter look like a tattle tale, which only fueled the flames even more. Finally, Yusei told him just to focus on school and not to push it any farther. Sooner or later they might just get tired of it.

Dexter followed his advice and started to just keep to himself. He knew that gave off a "loner wolf" perception, but he had nothing else to do. He just let one day go by at a time, hoping and praying that he would get name called as little as possible. A lot of the time he just hanged his head as he walked or he would walk with an angry look on his face, depending how the school day had been going. However, it didn't stop him from being called the name, even in the classroom itself.

The worst was in gym. They could have made fun of him for not being the strongest kid or the most athletic, but they instead called him by that name. In the locker room, before and after class, the name got tossed around like a hot potato. The teacher couldn't stand and watch them get dressed or undressed, since they would look like a creep or a stalker. To make up for it, the teacher would sometimes stand by the exit to make sure no kid tried to leave early. However, a majority of the time, he would be putting things away even as the bell rang for the students to leave for the next class. So, it was a perfect opportunity for other students to bully him. Dexter always tried to get dressed and undressed as fast as possible, hoping it wouldn't come up. Some days he got lucky and they were more interested in what happened back in the gymnasium.

On most school days though, Dexter got dressed and went to the bathroom as fast as possible. It was the only place he could try to get away from the bullies. Dexter would then watch the clock and his watch, hoping the bell would finally ring, and he could finally get out of there.

We pick it up, as Dexter is getting changed back into his Duel Academy uniform. It had been a long day of floor hockey, but Dexter enjoyed it. He smiled as he put on the blue blazer since, at least so far today, the name calling hadn't been too bad. Sure enough though, things were going to change.

"Hey Choc Craz!" a bigger student said as Dexter got the last of his uniform on, "You want some chocolate?" He laughed as Dexter groaned and got up to walk away. He was met with a much smaller guy with blonde colored hair. "Where do you think you're going Choc boy?" He laughed and Dexter just moved right past him towards the bathroom. Dexter noticed a smear on his glasses and decided to wash it off in the bathroom. He took off his square shaped frames and gently put it under the water. As he did, something got caught in his eyes. "Ah! Jeeze!" Dexter muttered to himself and he set his glasses on a wide, safe part of the sink. After getting some water on his right pointer finger and rubbing it, Dexter looked up at the mirror, to check on his eye.

To his surprise, all he saw was a black can of deodorant and a long, tan arm. He suddenly heard the bottle hiss and some deodorant went into his eyes. Dexter screamed and quickly closed his eyes. He managed to reach the faucet and turned it on as high as he could. Dexter tried opening his eyes under the cold water, hoping it would get rid of the deodorant. Dexter made some grunting noises as he tried to get it out, by rubbing his eyes.

Just outside the bathroom, another blonde hair kid who was a thin as Dexter, noticed him in his situation. "Hey man! Are you all right?" Dexter stuck his head out from under the sink, his face and hair wet with water. "No. Someone sprayed me in the eyes with deodorant." The kid, named Trevor, gasped. "Aww man! I'll go get the teacher!" Trevor quickly went and headed for the gym teacher's office. Dexter was a bit surprised, as Trevor had bullied him to some degree, but it was far less than the kids who called him by his candy bar nickname. Either way, he was happy that Trevor was helping him.

Dexter stayed in the bathroom, as some other kids walked by. Dexter told them what happened and they all said they felt bad for him. Heck, even a couple kids who frequently picked on him felt bad. It was a few minutes, until Mr. Carger arrived. When he did, he asked Dexter what happened and he told him everything. "Well make sure that you washed it out," Mr. Cargel said with his short flattop black hair. He then turned to the group of students, who were waiting to leave. "All right! Who did this?" he asked in a firm voice. No one answered his question. "I'll be sure to find out who did sooner or later," he replied as the bell rang. Mr. Carger then turned his attention to Dexter. "Do you know who might have done this?" Dexter thought for a moment. It could be one of two kids in the class, who Dexter knew were bullies. However, he wasn't sure which one it was. "It was probably Mike or Randle," Dexter replied, "But I'm not sure which one it was." Mr. Carger nodded. "I'll take it from here," he replied, "I'll write you a pass to your next class." Dexter followed him to his office, where he wrote an excuse for Dexter, as he was going to be very late for his next class. Once he signed it, Dexter quickly ran out of the locker room, and into the hall.

Over the weekend, Dexter got a chance to contact Leo and Luna over the video chat. At first, Dexter was hesitant and wondered if he should tell them what happened on Friday, since they couldn't really do anything about it. However, with school being brought up in their conversation, Dexter figured that he'd have to talk about the incident sooner or later. Now seemed like the perfect time.

"Is something wrong Dexter?" Luna asked as Dexter was lost in thought. "Um...well..." Dexter replied slowly. "If something's wrong, you can tell us," Luna replied with concern. Dexter finally took a deep breath. "Well. Something is wrong," he replied. He then told them all about the locker room incident. Leo and Luna were upset, but both Leo and Dexter were surprised at just how angry Luna was.

"That's terrible!" she replied in an angry voice, "You could have gone blind! What are they going to do about it?" Dexter shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," he replied, "The school's going to handle it." Luna rolled her eyes. "The school? The ones who don't do anything about you being picked on? That's ridiculous! The teachers and faculty need to be more involved." Luna then pulled out her cell phone. "What are you gonna do sis?" Leo asked. Luna held a confident smile. "I'm going to call the school and tell them about it." Dexter and Leo looked at one another on screen.

"But the school's closed," Dexter noted. "I know," Luna replied, "So I'm going to leave the Vice Chancellor a message." Luna looked up the number on her phone, before dialing it. She then got an answering machine and smiled once she was allowed to talk.

"Hello. My name is Luna and my friend Dexter was bullied in the locker room on Friday. I want to try and make sure that something like this doesn't happen again, so I would like the chance to speak with you about the incident. The best time of day would be after school and you can reach me at..." Luna then gave him her phone number. "I cannot speak with you in person, as I am far away from the school. However, if you need to talk in person with someone other than Dexter, Yusei Fudo has agreed to visit you in person. He can be reached at..." Luna then gave him his phone number and the two males became even more confused. "I hope we can work things out and be able to prevent Dexter from being bullied in the future. Thank you for time and I hope you will call me very soon." Luna hanged up.

"What do you mean Yusei has agreed to speak in person? You haven't even talked to him yet!" Leo said in a worried tone. "This is Yusei we're talking about," Luna replied, "He cares about his friends. Once he hears what happened to Dexter, he will be more than happy to help out. I'll call him right now." Luna speed dialed Yusei's number. When he picked up, Luna told him what had happened. When she asked him if he would help them out, she stuck the phone out, so that Leo and Dexter could hear him.

"Of course I'll help you out!" Yusei replied, "It's bad enough that you have to deal with the bullying everyday at school and this is downright unacceptable! If they need me to be there in person, I will be sure to be there Dexter. You deserve better than this and I will make sure that something is done about it." Dexter thanked him for his encouragement and Luna replayed the message. "I told him to call me back on Monday after school, so if anything happens it'll be earlier in the week." Yusei understood and said he'll be sure to keep it in mind. They three younger kids thanked him for his time, encouragement, and help, before Luna hanged up.

"But after school on Monday is like 9, ten o'clock at night where you live," Dexter noted, "Are you sure you want to stay up that late?" Luna nodded. "Dexter, you're my friend and I hate hearing how you've been bullied so much." Dexter took Luna's comment the wrong way. "Well...sorry that I'm such a burden," he replied. "No! That's not what I meant," Luna answered back, "I want you to tell me when you're picked on. Maybe something like this is just what you needed. If something is done about this, then maybe those kids will stop picking on you." Dexter shook his head. "I doubt it," he replied and Luna frowned. "Don't worry Dexter. I'm sure that verything's going to be all right."

On Monday, Dexter went to school like normal. When it came time for gym, he expected there to be something different or changed about the way the class was handled. Dexter went into the locker room and got changed, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He went to the gym, where Mr. Carger was getting a new game set up. "Is there anything I should do, because of what happened on Friday?" Dexter asked. "I haven't heard anything," Mr. Carger replied, "Maybe it'll take a couple of days for the message to get through. After all, the school's principal and vice chancellor have a lot of things they have to do." Dexter nodded as the class was about to begin.

Dexter finished gym and nothing happened afterwards. A couple kids asked him if he was all right and he replied that he was, but he would have felt better if he got the opportunity to speak with someone about the incident. In his next class, a "message runner" gave a note to the teacher and he, in turn, gave the note to Dexter. On the note, it read that he had to go immediately to the office. Dexter got up and left, feeling a little bit nervous about visiting such a serious place. Once he arrived, he was directed to the Vice Chancellor's office. He was waiting for him and asked him to take a seat.

"So, I was told that you were bullied in gym, is that correct?" the chancellor asked and Dexter nodded. He then told him about the incident and who he thought might have been the culprit. The Vice Chancellor nodded. "Well, I also got a call from someone named Luna and this is what she said." He played the message from Luna, which sounded exactly as when he heard her do it live. "Do you see anything odd with that message?" Dexter shook his head, but in his mind, he knew that there was. Maybe he recognized Luna's voice. Luna's height increase also caused her voice to sound a little deeper and more mature. Still, it was possible that the Vice Chancellor could have recognized her.

"I'm concerned that she threatening to send Yusei over here! After all, everyone here knows about how he humiliated me a few years back and it would be easy for someone to threaten me with him again. My question for you is: Do you know anything about this call?" Dexter decided that it would be best to lie about it. "No sir. I do not." The Chancellor thought for a moment. "Well, if this Luna girl is right, I'll give him a call, and tell him to come over tomorrow. Then, we'll see if she's just using him as a threat."

"But what about my bullying problem?" Dexter asked. "We'll get to that later, but first, I need to make a few phone calls. You, on the other hand, should get back to class." Dexter nodded and quickly left the room.

Across the pond, Luna got a phone call from Duel Academy. "Well Ms. Luna, since you _conveniently_ can't make it to Duel Academy, I'm going to see if your little game is legit." Luna frowned and put a hand on her hip. "What are you talking about? Of course it's legit! Dexter got sprayed in the face with deodorant."

"I'm not talking about that!" the chancellor shouted, "I'm talking about you trying to send Yusei over here and ruin my reputation again. I called him and he didn't respond, so if he isn't here tomorrow for our little meeting then I know you're lying to me!" The phone hanged up as Leo came downstairs. He was in a Turbo Dueling suit that he had custom ordered. He was really thinking about becoming a professional Turbo Duelist, just like last year's champion Jack Atlas and 3rd place finisher Crow. "What did he say?" Leo asked.

"He said that he called Yusei and he didn't pick up. I'm guess that's because I gave him his cell phone number, which I'm sure he doesn't have on at work. He then added that if he didn't show up at the meeting tomorrow, that I was only trying to ruin his reputation." Leo rolled his eyes. "That's the Vice Chancellor for ya! Besides, Yusei will go. No doubt about it."

On Tuesday, Dexter got a note in one of his classes again and he headed for the office. As he rounded a corner, he spotted Yusei standing outside the office, in his old blue blazer attire. Dexter hung his head, as Yusei had probably asked for the day off, just so he could take care of him. Dexter started feeling as though this whole thing was just a big burden on everyone. "Hey Dexter," Yusei greeted him as he stuck out a fist. Dexter weakly fist bumped him back. "Is everything all right?" Yusei asked and Dexter replied with a sigh.

"I just feel like I'm burden on everyone," Dexter added, "I forced you to take off a day of work and I got Leo and Luna involved and..." Yusei held up his pointer finger, telling him to stop. "Dexter, this whole thing is not your fault and besides, I'm more than happy to help you out. There's no place I'd rather be right now." Dexter's face became surprised and Yusei took a moment to think about the words that just came out of his mouth. 'Okay, maybe there's _one _place I'd rather be,' Yusei thought as he was thinking about the most beautiful red haired girl in the world. "Come on, lets go inside," Yusei said as he gestured Dexter to follow him.

As they waited in the office, they were then told that the Vice Chancellor would be back from lunch in a few minutes. The receptionist told him that they could wait in his office, if they would like. Yusei asked if that would be okay with Dexter and he nodded. When they got inside, Dexter shut the door and they each took a seat. After a few moments of silence, Dexter spoke up. "Is there anyway I can do to thank you for what you're doing Yusei?" Yusei smiled. "Well...there is one thing." Dexter became intrigued.

"I'd...like to buy a video game console," Yusei admitted, "Being by yourself for a majority of the year can get rather dull and I really enjoyed playing those sports games with you. Since the only technology I truly understand is Duel Runners and vehicles, I was hoping you might be able to help me out." Dexter was by no means a video game expert, but he did know a few things about them. "Sounds like a deal," Dexter replied, "And if we have the same console, we could play each other online." Yusei smiled. "Sounds good to me," he replied. Dexter and Yusei smiled at one another for a moment. "Do you think Akiza would like video games?" Dexter asked, but before Yusei could answer, the door opened.

"So, I see you decided to show up after all," Rudolph Heitmann said in an upset tone. He then took his seat in frustration. "So, I've heard about what happened from Mr. Carger and now it seems that the great Yusei Fudo is deciding to come to your rescue." He then paused for a moment as he looked at the two people in front of him. "So, what do you want from me?" he asked, "Obviously with Yusei here, I don't want a repeat of the last time you were here. It was a total embarrassment to my reputation." Dexter turned to Yusei. "Could we call Luna and ask her?" Yusei nodded and suggested the idea. "All right. I'll call her over the phone, even though I have no idea who she really is." Yusei and Dexter chuckled as Rudolph called her over speaker phone.

"Hello?" Luna asked. "It's me!" Rudolph shouted, "And it appears that your friend Yusei is here as well." Luna gasped happily. "Hey Yusei! How's it going?" Yusei said he was good and that Dexter was there with him. "Now, since you all have teamed up against me, my question for you is what do you want to do about what happened?" Heitmann asked, "And make it quick!" Luna was the first to respond.

"I just want the bullying to stop first of all. But I also want whoever is responsible to be removed from Dexter's classes. If they attacked Dexter once, they could certainly do the same thing again or even do something much worse." Yusei and Dexter liked that idea. "Well, I'll certainly do my best to accompany your request, but I can't make any guarantees," Rudolph reminded them. "That's fine with me," Dexter replied, "I just want the bullying to stop as well." Yusei nodded. "Thanks for the great suggestion Luna," Yusei said into the phone and Dexter replayed the message as well.

"Your welcome you guys. I'll talk to you later." They all said goodbye and the two people, that were not on school's staff, thanked Rudolph for his time. After they left his office, Dexter thanked Yusei for coming. "I'm sorry that you had to take time out of your day just for me," Dexter sadly remarked. Yusei smiled. "It's not a problem at all Dexter. I'm not upset. Besides, I get to leave here knowing that the problem will be fixed and hopefully something like this doesn't happen again." That did make Dexter feel a little better. As the bell rang, Yusei waved to him. "I'll see you later," Yusei replied and he quickly ran out the door. Yusei didn't want all the kids surrounding him, as he was still a little shy about anyone other than Leo, Luna, and their friends looking up to him. Dexter quickly went back to the class, which had now ended, and made sure he didn't miss anything.

Within a few days, the two kids Dexter had pointed out as potential suspects, Randle and Mike, where gone from his gym class. Dexter was also informed by Mr. Carger that they wouldn't be in anymore of his classes either. Dexter smiled and was happy that Luna's idea had worked and that Heitmann had been able to agree on their deal. As he was walking to the restroom during one period, he spotted Mike in hallway. Mike spotted Dexter and ran up to him.

"Dexter! I swear I didn't do it!" Dexter was confused by the spiky blonde and black haired student. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I swear it wasn't me! It was totally Randle! They changed all my classes so that I wouldn't be with you anymore! I'm telling you Dexter, it wasn't me." Dexter felt like he should believe him, but had to tell him the truth. "I want to believe you," Dexter admitted, "But they asked me who could have done it and you were one of the two that I could come up with." Dexter then walked away, not really sure what to say or do next. As he had told Mike, he wanted to believe him, but he didn't know what to do. Besides, Mike was a troublemaker anyways, so it was better off not having him in class at all.

On the following Saturday, Luna was getting ready for a nice, quiet day at her apartment. She smiled as she sat down on her laptop and looked up a few things online. The door rang and Luna wondered who it could be. Leo came downstairs and opened the door. It was a delivery man and he said that he had something for them. Luna speculated that it might have been something Leo ordered online, so she refused to get up from her seat and let him handle the situation. To her surprise, the door closed and Leo called out to her.

"Luna! It's for you!"

Luna quickly got up and headed for the door. Leo was holding a bouquet of flowers, a small box of chocolate, and an envelope. "Leo! It's not our Birthdays!" Luna replied as she took the gifts from him. Leo went back upstairs. "It's not from me," he replied. Luna was confused. She then looked at the side of the flowers, where there was a small tag attached to it.

"To: Luna

From: Dexter

Luna was in shock. 'Dexter got me all this?' She brought the gifts over to the kitchen table and set them down. She then noticed the envelope, with her name on it. It was in his hand writing and she slowly opened it. Inside was a card, that had all the words written in Dexter's handwriting. It wasn't the neatest handwriting that Luna had ever seen, as she knew he wasn't the best writer. Still, she managed to read what he had written.

"Dear Luna,

Thank you for everything that you have done for me over the past few weeks. I'm so grateful that I have a friend like you! Your idea worked wonderfully and I will no longer have those bullies in any of my classes. Of course, there are still kids that call me Choc Craz, but I'm still thankful none the less.

I hope that these gifts are good enough to repay you for all of your hard work. I'm sorry if you wanted something better! I asked Leo for help on the flowers and chocolate, so be sure to thank him too. Anyways, I hope you know how thankful I am and I can't wait to talk to you soon.

Your friend,

Dexter

Luna smiled after reading the card. Even though Dexter could have easily called, to thank her for what she did, giving her this card was a much more personal thing to do. Luna opened the small box of chocolate and took out a piece. She chewed it slowly and re-read the card again. She closed her eyes and felt a sense of happiness inside herself, for not only helping out Dexter, but also having him thank her like he did.

Suddenly, Luna felt something. Something that she hadn't felt before. She looked down and her underwear felt wet. Not only that, but her pants did too. Luna knew that she was still growing and learning things about her body, but what was this? She had never experienced like this before. Luna had to find out what it was. She hadn't taken a shower in a few days and now seemed like the perfect opportunity. She grabbed a new pair of underwear and short shorts, before going to the downstairs restroom. She sat on the toilet and pulled down both sets of clothing. Sure enough, her underwear was soaked and her shorts were wet too. Luna pulled them down her legs and set them on the bathroom counter. "Why are they so wet?" Luna wondered out loud as she stepped into the shower.

When Luna was finished, she went back to her laptop and tried to research what had happened to her. After having to sift through a few inappropriate sites along with some that were not describing what had expelled from her personal area, Luna found a few sites that matched her description. They asked the users on the site to explain their story and what happened to them.

"Yes! I've wet myself before! I was thinking about a cute boy when it happened!" one user said. "Oh yeah! I was fantasizing about a total hunk when it happened to me," another one replied. Luna continued reading and they were all pretty similar to one another. 'But...that doesn't make any sense,' Luna thought to herself. Dexter wasn't drool worthy or someone that girls would be begging to look at. However, she _was _thinking about him when it happened, so that technically meant she was fantasizing about him. Still, maybe it was a one time occurrence.

That night, Luna thanked Leo for helping Dexter out with the candy and flowers. Luna put the yellow and purple bouquet in a vase, which she set on the kitchen table, and put the chocolate in the refrigerator. As for the card, Luna put that on her dresser, as she would find a nice spot to cherish it tomorrow. Luna then climbed into bed and tried to get to sleep. It took longer than usual, but Luna was able to fall into dreamland.

_Luna Dreams_

Luna was in a white puffy area, almost like the inside of the cloud. "Hello?" Luna called and she soon spotted Dexter a short ways away. He walked up to her, carrying the things that had arrived in the mail. He smiled at her and held the things out in front of her. "Here you go Luna. Thank you for all your help." Luna smiled and happily accepted them. "Well thank you Dexter. You're a real sweetheart. Do you know that?" Dexter blushed and became really shy. "I...I don't think I'm that sweet." Luna shook her head. "You really are Dexter and I love these gifts you got for me." She smelled the flowers and enjoyed their scent. Luna looked at Dexter and felt a tingling sensation in her lower area.

_End Dream_

Luna woke up and it took a moment for her to realize what had happened. Luna then realized something and she slid her hand down to her groin. It was wet, just like yesterday. "A wet dream," Luna thought, "And the person I'm thinking about is Dexter."

**A/N: Apologize for the long delay, but I hope it was worth it.**

**Thanks for your support!  
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	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27!**

**Thanks to no homo, drytacos, and Pepsi Chick 6 for reviewing.  
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As Luna contemplated her feelings, she decided that it was best to talk to Dexter today. After eating breakfast, she mentally jumped for joy when Leo left to check out a local junior Turbo Dueling league and would be gone for the rest of the day. Dexter said on the card that he hoped to talk to her soon, so she knew that this would be the perfect time. She didn't find Dexter physically attractive, but she did know that he was a kind hearted guy, as his thank you gifts showed. Luna wondered then her body was expelling fluid, which turned out the be do to due arousal, when she had thought about him. She decided to go online to find out.

Unfortunately, it was no help. The only information Luna found were girls drooling over some hot guy with muscular arms and abs. By the time Luna came to this conclusion, she decided to call Dexter. If she became nervous or excited, then maybe her body was telling her something that she just didn't understand. Dexter seemed surprised that she was calling, but he instantly understood why his number had been dialed.

"I hope you enjoyed the surprise I got for you," Dexter replied, "Thank you so much for all your help." Luna smiled. "You're very welcome Dexter." She took a step to her right and let Dexter see, off in the distance, that the flowers he got her were on the kitchen table. "I also thanked Leo for helping you." Dexter blushed. "Well, it really started out when we talked back and forth. I wanted a way to thank you, since you were the one who pushed for something to do be done." Luna then commented back, but she also took notice of her body's reactions. There was no shaking or nervousness around him and it was just a usual conversation. 'Maybe this is just a phase,' Luna thought as their discussion wrapped up.

"Well, thanks again Luna. Talk to you soon!" Luna enjoyed seeing Dexter smile again, especially after all he's been through. "Your welcome Dexter! See you later!" The screen shut off and Luna immediately checked her short shorts and underwear. "They're dry as a bone," Luna proclaimed, "So maybe it was just some short term deal."

Now only did Luna have a new sense of confidence, but so did Jack Atlas. He had recently won a major tournament and he couldn't be happier. He had kept his relationship with Carly mostly quiet, yet had gotten his face out in almost everything he did. Just a few years ago, finding a sponsorship was almost impossible for the champion duelist. Now, sponsors were lining up left and right, desperate to get his name or endorsement on anything. With such attention, you'd think that Carly would be getting a boat load of attention as well. But instead, the young reporter was just trying to move her way up the journalism latter, and didn't want others to get suspicious.

Jack and Carly's relationship was a strong as ever, with Jack keeping their romantic times when they were alone, which was not very often. Just going out in public would mean getting swarmed by tons of people. For Crow, that wasn't as big of an issue. Crow had tried to start finding other eligible bachelors to date, but had no success so far. Many of them were much to feminine or into fashion and stuff. All Crow wanted was a guy who liked Turbo Dueling and wasn't so inspired by clothing or hairstyle. The few that Crow had met ending up not lasting past the first date. Still, Crow's disappointment in his love life hadn't affected his team. One of the top teams had a few duelist retire, leaving Crow's team now having a shot at the title. They had managed to win a few tournaments, but they also had a few upsets. This caused their standings position to not reflect just how good they really were.

For Akiza, she was finishing up her generals and had a relatively easy semester. She didn't have to carry a full load of classes, which meant she had a lot less pressure on her. That made Akiza even more determined to try and get a perfect GPA for the semester. Yusei reminded her to just to do her best and don't push herself too hard. Akiza agreed, but deep down inside, she was determined to get a 4.0.

It felt as though everyone was having some kind of the happiness in the group of friends, including Leo who was getting started in Turbo Dueling. Still, there was someone else that none of them had seen in a very long time, who was having her share of struggles. She had kept quiet for a few years and she finally decided to visit Yusei and talk to him about it. After all, if anyone could give someone confidence, it would be Yusei. However, she needed to do it when it was right for her and that time, was the following Summer.

On a hot Summer day, a limo pulled up to the Tops. You might even think that it was a person who lived there. A butler got out of the front seat and went around to the back. He then opened the last door. A person came out, with long flowing blonde hair. They thanked the butler and then walked towards the tall building. She had a firm look on her face, with her lips in a straight line. She took her time getting inside and she told the security guard who she was. He then called up to Yusei, as he did not recognize her.

Akiza had come home just a couple days ago. Yusei and Akiza were on the couch, giggling and romantically rubbing their noses together. They held hands and had become very comfortable when it came to being physically romantic. Yusei let go of her hands and wrapped Akiza in a hug. "I love you," Yusei spoke softly into her ear, before giving a kiss on the cheek. They then heard a beeping sound, one of which Akiza had never heard before. "What was that?" Akiza asked. Yusei knew what it was and lead her to a small speaker phone. He pushed a button and asked, "Who is it?"

"There's some girl down here who wants to see you," a male voice replied, "Someone named Sherry." Yusei and Akiza gasped as the guard gave them a description of her. Yusei and Akiza hadn't spoken to her since the ZONE incident, so they were confused as to why she wanted the speak to them right now. Yusei looked at Akiza, who had a nervous look on her face. Yusei instantly tried to comfort her, by putting her in a gentle embrace. "Don't worry Akiza. I think we'll be okay." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and turned back to the speaker phone. "All right. Send her in." Yusei was just as baffled as Akiza, when it came to Sherry's reason for coming.

They waited by the door and soon the French woman arrived, in her usually attire. Her gray and black uniform shone in the sunlight and she had a serious look on her face. Yusei had his arm tightly around Akiza, as he sense some nervousness in his girlfriend. "Sherry. Come on in," Yusei replied and he gestured her towards the couch. Sherry nodded and without a word, made her way over to soft, white sofa. She sat down, while Yusei and Akiza sat down on a sofa across from her. They then faced Sherry directly.

"So what brings you here?" Yusei asked, "I didn't know you were coming." Sherry continued to look on, as though she was in some kind of battle. "I know," she replied with her thick French accent, "I didn't want you to know. After all, you might have started planning on what to say to me." Yusei and Akiza looked at one another, hoping they might know what she was talking about. "I do not understand," Yusei replied, "What do you mean?" Sherry chuckled.

"Well, first of all, do you remember the last time you saw me?" Yusei and Akiza nodded. "It was with ZONE wasn't it?" Akiza asked as a question and Sherry nodded. "Right. So, I wanted to talk about what happened since then." Yusei and Akiza both nodded and let Sherry have the floor.

"You see, after the whole ZONE incident, I felt terrible about what I did. I only wanted to be closer to my parents and ZONE promised me that. However, by following him, I could have endangered the entire world. Once I learned that, I had no idea what to do next. So, I headed back to France and tried to figure out what to do with my life. All I had known since I was a child was to find out about my parents. When ZONE and that whole incident turned out to be a path to nowhere, all I could think about was the horrible mistakes I made. I threatened people's lives and almost hurt many more if I had kept following him. All I felt was pain and I felt like I should be punished for it. Other times, all I wanted was to feel pleasure and comfort again. Day after day, week after week, I both beat myself up and tried to find some sort of comfort and pleasure. I finally decided to fly back over here, after a few months, to try and find some answers to my parents and the pain I was feeling. When Jack called to challenge me to a duel, I said yes in heartbeat. He was concerned about being the best or something, since that seems to be all that man has ever cared about. Anyways, he beat me in a perfect loss. After that, I did feel some satisfaction for what I did, and it helped me rekindle my fire for Turbo Dueling. After a few practice duels, I could still feel some lingering pain. I then realized what I needed and that was love. That was something that my parents couldn't give me. As much as I hated to admit it, I had to finally give up looking for why my parents are gone. There are no trails left and the sooner I move on, the better I can move on with my life." For the first time since she had arrived, Sherry showed a smile.

"Speaking of love, I see that you two have gotten quite close, am I correct?" Yusei and Akiza both nodded. Yusei's arm hadn't left Akiza's side, as he wanted to comfort his frightened girlfriend. Sherry sighed. "I sure wish I had a relationship like the two of you do." Yusei tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry Sherry. There are a lot of guys out there for you." Sherry didn't seem happy, even with Yusei's words. Akiza finally spoke up. "Sherry, I'm sure that you'll be able to find someone out there. After all, lots of people are looking for someone to love them too. Don't worry. I'm sure that you just have to go out there and be yourself." Sherry wasn't happy with Akiza's words either. Yusei and Akiza looked at one another and Yusei tried to cheer her up some more.

"Sherry...I know that giving up on what happened to your parents is tough, but I am happy that you've decided to move on. Sometimes, even when it's very hard, you just have to forge ahead with your life. After all, I'm sure your parents would rather see you be happy, then always being upset or sad over losing them." Akiza then added. "Yeah. It's okay to think about them, but at the same time, you should focus on the things that matter in your life. And based on what you've told us, you want to find love." Sherry nodded. "Well, I also have kept it a secret for quite some time, but I also plan to go into the Women's Professional Turbo Dueling league." Yusei and Akiza's faces lite up.

"That's great!" they replied in synch. They both smiled at Sherry, hoping to finally break her out of her bad mood. Still, Sherry seemed as though something was bothering her. Yusei got up and saw down next to her. "Sherry, if something is wrong, you can tell us." Akiza became worried with how close Yusei was to her. She had always worried, in the back of her mind, that Yusei would leave her for Sherry. Akiza got up and sat down next to him. To her surprise, Yusei turned to her and pulled her in close. "Sherry. Please. You can tell us what's wrong." Sherry bit her lip. "It's just that...I look at you guys and how happy you are together. I know that Jack has his relationship with Carly. So, it feels as thought everyone is so much happier than me!" The usually calm and cool woman finally let tears fall down her face. Akiza put down her conflicts with Sherry and tried to comfort her. "Don't worry Sherry. I'm sure there's a someone out there for you."

"But..I'm not sure if there can anyone out there for me!" Sherry cried, "Because...I think...I'm bisexual." Yusei and Akiza gasped. Sherry turned to them and saw their stunned expressions. "Bi...bisexual?" Yusei asked and Sherry nodded. "When did you realize this?" Akiza asked. Sherry took a moment to let her tears start to slow down.

"It all started after the ZONE incident and when I was depressed. I was walking around France and saw this guy. It was summertime and he was wearing a strapless shirt. I gawked at his muscular arms and tight butt. His abs showed through his shirt and he was just the hottest guy I had ever seen. Elsworth noticed this and asked me if I would like to meet him. Still, I felt this nervousness inside of me. I had never been in a romantic relationship, so I wasn't sure. Still, his attractive looks made me want to make a go at it. Elsworth then told me not to worry and I asked him what he meant by that. He then told me not to worry about it again, so I didn't give it a second thought. A few days later, I was at a restaurant and I was feeling terrible that day. All I felt was pain. When I saw him come up to me, he stuck out his hand and we greeted one another. We talked, but all I wanted was him. Him and that gorgeous body. I invited him back to my place and...well...you can figure what happened next." Yusei and Akiza nodded. "So how did you find out you were attracted to women?" Akiza asked.

"That day was a few weeks later. That guy and I basically admitted that we only wanted the physical part of a relationship. At the time, that was all I needed. However, after we broke up, I soon felt alone and afraid again, like there was no one else to share my pain and confusion. I wanted someone to have comfort and pleasure with. Why didn't I find it in a man? Because he didn't look like me. He didn't share long, smooth legs like me. He didn't have a bust like a woman and he just didn't feel or look like he was relatable to me. When I looked at a woman, I saw those similarities. I saw the bust. I saw the legs. I saw the butt. Everything was similar to me. Just like with that guy, I saw a beautiful woman when I was grocery shopping. At first, I knew that she might not be into women, so I figured I would keep quiet. I decided not to approach her, but there was no doubt that Elsworth noticed me checking her out. That night, I found myself looking at websites with women on it. The thought of guys being attractive was never in my mind. The following night, I got a knock at the door. It was that girl again. I asked how she knew where to come and how she knew my name. She told me that a "male friend" informed her about my location. I asked her why she was here. She then went up and kissed me on the lips. And no, it wasn't the usual French greeting kiss. I think you can figure out what happened the rest of the night." Akiza watched as Yusei squirmed in his seat. She wasn't sure if he was uncomfortable with the subject or if his mind was in the complete opposite direction. Either way, Akiza gave him a a nudge. "So what happened after that?" Akiza asked as Yusei rubbed his side.

"I've gone back and forth between liking men and liking women," Sherry replied, with her head down, "Which is why I'm concerned that I won't find someone who would understand me. That goes for both my past and my sexual preferences." Yusei and Akiza weren't sure what to say, as they had both moved back to the previous couch. They watched as Sherry looked up and saw Akiza quickly put her arms around Yusei defensively. "You don't have to worry Akiza. I'm not going to ask Yusei or yourself if you want to be in a relationship with me. Besides, I've always noticed a connection between you too." Akiza was stunned. "Really?" she asked in surprise. Sherry nodded. "You two have always had a connection that seemed to be between more than just friends. Even during that duel with Yusei and yourself, I already sensed it, and I also saw a few other things. One thing I noticed was that you had to stand next to Yusei as he dueled. I remember looking over and noticing that Yusei's eyes were on you a few times, but it wasn't at your face." Akiza frowned. "What are you implying?" Sherry laughed. "I think the reason I've always seen you as a couple, is that Yusei really likes your chest." Akiza and Yusei both blushed.

"What are you talking about?" Yusei asked with his face turning redder by the second. Sherry had a smirk. "I'm just saying that Akiza has quite a large bust. Largest one I've ever seen. So, don't you like having a girlfriend with a big chest like that?" Yusei didn't want to answer her and Akiza realized this. "I..have no comment," Yusei replied, "And that is all." Sherry got another smirk on her face, but Akiza was ready to defend Yusei, if Sherry tried to push the subject even further. Sherry leaned back and decided to back off.

"You know, you guys are the first people I've ever confessed to about all of these feelings," Sherry replied, "And that was why I came here, so that I could get a general reaction. I think it would be best if I came out publicly, although I don't know if their reaction will be as good as yours. After all, this is a very tough subject to deal with." Akiza and Yusei both understood. "We understand how tough it if for you," Yusei replied, "So when and how are you going to come out?" Sherry then explained that Elsworth was going to tell the press that she was going to join the female Turbo Dueling League. When she has her press conference, she would come out there. Akiza and Yusei gave her one last voice of support, before Sherry left, brushing her long blonde hair with her hand. Akiza and Yusei waved goodbye and then shut the door. Akiza took a hold of Yusei's hand.

"Yusei. There's something that I want to talk to you about." Yusei nodded and could sense something was wrong. He followed her to the sofa, which they had both sat down a few moments earlier. Akiza held his hand and then put her other on top of it. "Yusei...I..." Akiza's voice seemed scared and worried. Yusei put his handiness right on top and tried to give her a look of confidence. When Yusei believed in Akiza, all things were possible, and seeing Yusei give her that determined look helped Akiza finally get out what she was trying to say.

"I've always worried that you would end up with Sherry instead of me," Akiza replied. Yusei became surprised, maybe even more so than when Sherry was talking. "You have?" Akiza nodded. "She's a great Turbo Duelist just like you and I could sense that you guys were already friends, after just a couple of moves. I became worried that you would become an even better friend with her than you were with me. So, I tried to become a Turbo Duelist. That way, I could understand you better. I quickly realized the fun you saw in it and I could finally understand what Turbo Dueling was like for you. Still, the thought of you becoming Sherry's boyfriend has always crept into my head and I worried that you wouldn't want to be with me." Yusei pulled Akiza in tight and kissed her forehead.

"Akiza," he replied kindly, before putting his hand under her chin. He tried as gently as he could to lift her chin, so he could get her to look at him. "Akiza. Sherry and I are friends, but Sherry's friendship has never been close to the friendship I share with you. It's not even close." Akiza still didn't feel convinced. "But she's a much better Turbo Duelist and she knows much more about it then me. Not to mention she might even be prettier than me." With Akiza not convinced, Yusei continued. "Akiza. Sherry may be a good Turbo Duelist, but I know someone who is the best I've ever seen." Akiza looked away. "Oh. It's Jack right."

"Nope," Yusei replied and Akiza looked back at him. "Yourself?" Yusei shook his head. "It's you Akiza." Akiza became almost upset. "How am I the best Turbo Duelist you've ever seen?" Yusei chuckled. "Akiza. You worked so hard to learn how to ride a Duel Runner and we worked together on your deck. I enjoyed helping you every step of the way, including our date at the skating rink." He gave her a wink and Akiza blushed. "That wasn't a date," Akiza replied, "After all the twins were there."

"Your right," Yusei answered back, "Our first was before Christmas, after your first semester. But still, I had fun none the less, especially since I got to be so close to you." Akiza smiled. "I did too. I really enjoyed that time with you Yusei and I enjoyed skating with you. But...are you sure that I'm the best Turbo Duelist you've ever seen?" Yusei nodded. "Of course you are Akiza and there's something that I want you to know." Akiza leaned in close.

"Turbo Dueling is not my life. It's a hobby, but it's not what my life is centered around. That may be true for Jack, Crow, and now Sherry, but I have much more important things in my life than dueling. One of the things at the top of that list is you." Akiza giggled at Yusei saying she was one of the most important things. Yusei chuckled along with her. When they were done, Yusei and Akiza faced one another.

"I also want you to know that I have never seen Sherry in any sort of romantic way," Yusei replied, "I don't even find her the least bit attractive. You have the most beautiful smile in the world Akiza and I love you." Akiza felt a huge relief fall off of her shoulders. "Thank you Yusei. Knowing that makes me so..." Yusei kissed Akiza's forehead, as he knew what she was going to say next. Akiza looked up as Yusei leaned back down, almost to identical eye level. "It makes me happy too Akiza and you don't worry. Anything about Sherry being a better Turbo Duelist or me having any sort of relationship with her is simply not true. We may work well on a duel field, but outside of that, I do not like a lot of the decisions she has made, especially in the way she made them. I think that threatening to hurt people or physically hurting someone is wrong. So I want you to know that, while she is technically my friend, she isn't near the top of my list, and she is not even close to you." Akiza took a deep breath.

"Thank you Yusei." She gave him a hug and he happily returned it. "I love you so much." Yusei closed his eyes. "I love you too." The two of them leaned back and smiled at one another. "What were we doing before this all started?" Akiza asked in a confused state. "Well...we were kissing and hugging, so we..." Akiza leaned forward and was now the one who interrupted the conversation with a kiss. When she leaned back, she cupped his face.

"You just want to make out. Don't you Yusei?" Yusei tried not to sound like she spoke the truth. "Well...it would be kind of nice," Yusei replied innocently. Akiza laughed and gently pushed Yusei down onto the couch as they were both in the mood for another heated make out session.

**A/N: Some people are probably upset that I made Sherry bi, but I've seen people write her as both homo and heterosexual. In a way, I could see both, so instead of picking sides, I took the middle road (although she would never end up with Yusei or Akiza, no matter what preference she has). This will probably be the only Chapter centered around her, besides maybe a few references or brief information about her. So, if it makes you uncomfortable, this is the only Chapter you have to worry about.**

**I hope no one's too upset and I hope you enjoyed the Chapter.  
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	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28!**

**A/N: Thanks to my reviewers:  
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**jesselover33-I'm happy that you're enjoying thier part of the storyline! This Chapter has them in it, so I hope you're not disappointed.  
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**KaiFudo16-Glad that you're enjoying it, even if you're not the biggest YuseixAkiza fan. I guess that means I'm doing something right if I can get non-faithshippers to enjoy it.  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro-Glad that you enjoyed it and I'm glad that you're not upset that Sherry's bi. I'm glad that you've been keeping up with the story too!  
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**Guest: Here's it is! ;)  
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When Leo and Luna came home, they decided to wait a few weeks for their coming home get together. Still, Dexter asked if he could come over a few days after they had arrived. Luna said that they would be more than happy if he did, but Leo was going to be out Turbo Dueling. Dexter didn't mind, as he wanted to thank Luna one last time for everything she did for him. Leo and Luna had sent encouraging e-mails and a couple of video chats over the past few months, trying to make Dexter feel better about himself. Dexter thanked them and, while the bullying still continued, having them along with Yusei encouraging him certainly helped.

Dexter remembered that Luna liked a purple and yellow colored bouquet, which was ironically the colors of a New Domino professional sports team. Dexter went to a flower shop, before he visited to the Tops, and looked around for a few minutes, before finding a purple and yellow bouquet. Dexter got out his wallet and, although he was rather tight when it came to spending money, he didn't mind getting "welcome home" flowers for his good friend.

As Dexter made his way to the Tops, he spotted Sly walking towards him, as he made his way up the sidewalk. "Hey Sly," Dexter replied as he came to a stop. "Hey," Sly replied cooly, "So what's with the flowers Dexter? Are they for someone?" Dexter nodded. "I'm getting them as both a thank you and welcome home gift for Luna. She really helped me out when it came to kids bullying me at school." Sly smiled. "Are you trying to be her boyfriend or something?" Dexter was flaborgasted by the question.

"Boyfriend? No! I'm just doing something nice for her." Sly rolled his eyes. "Come on! You like her!" Dexter frowned. "I like her as a friend,_ but she is not my girlfriend."_ Sly just laughed. "But wouldn't it be great if she was?" Dexter had never thought about it. "I don't know. Sure, I guess." Sly just laughed even more. "Like she would ever go out with a guy like you! She's way out of your league!" Dexter thought about it for a brief moment. "Yeah. I guess not," Dexter replied quietly over Sly's laughter. He waited for Sly to stop laughing. "Well...I've got to go. Great seeing you again Sly." Dexter shuffled by him, as Sly let out a few more chuckles.

When Dexter made it inside, he decided to take the elevator. He pushed the button for the top floor and then leaned against the wall, as it would be a while until it got to the top. He decided to think about what Sly said. 'I know that Luna and I are not in a relationship and he's right. Luna would never want to go out with a guy like me.' He looked at the door. 'But...what would it be like if she was my girlfriend?'

_Dexter imagines_

With Luna having tons of money, Dexter probably wouldn't have to worry about money isssues ever again. It wasn't that his parents were poor, but they weren't as rich as the twins' parents. Still, Dexter was tight when it came to pulling out his wallet and laying green bills out for things that were not absolutely necessary. Dexter imagined that Luna and him were at a fancy resturant, with a white table cloth covering their table and they were dressed in formal clothes. He had on a nice suit and Luna had a dark red strapless dress. Dexter spotted the bill and picked it up.

"Eeee!" he groaned as he saw how much it cost, "That's an expensive bill." Luna smiled as she took the paper out of his hands. "Don't worry Dexter. I'll pay for it." Dexter felt guilty. "Are you sure?" he asked and Luna closed her eyes. "Of course I'm sure. Don't worry about it Dexter. I can easily pay for it." Dexter then watched as Luna picked up her white purse and then got out her wallet. She laid down some bills. "And then this for the tip," she replied and put the cash inside the small, black booklet. When a man came up, Luna smiled at him. "Keep the change," she replied happily, before turning to Dexter and smiling.

Suddenly, Luna and Dexter were outside, walking down the streets of New Domino City. They were out of their fancy clothes and into a much more casual attire. Dexter looked at the shops on his right hand side, before noticing a video game store. He stopped walking to look inside. "Whoa! They have that new video game system out!" Dexter cried as he pointed at a display in the window. "The Accel 22,000?" Luna asked. Dexter turned to her. "You know what that is?" Luna nodded. "I've seen it advertised on TV and in the news," Luna replied. Dexter turned to look at the gaming consol again. "Yeah. I'd love to have it, but look at the price." Dexter pointed to a pointy, sun shaped sticker that had the price on it. "I'll just have to save up my money for it," Dexter added, before sadly looking down, and turning towards Luna.

"Here." Luna held out her hand and Dexter found himself looking at a stack of large dollar bills. "W...what?" Dexter asked as he looked at Luna's smiling face. "Why don't you go in and buy it?" Luna suggested. Dexter didn't understand. "You don't have to do that for me Luna. Besides, I'd feel guilty buying it with your money." The smile didn't leave Luna's face. "I insist Dexter. You're such a great guy that you deserve to be rewarded every now and then. So why don't you go inside and buy it for yourself?" Dexter really wanted to say no, but seeing Luna's smile made it really hard to resist. "Are you sure?" Dexter asked one last time, "I don't want to be a burden." Luna nodded. "I'm sure Dexter. It's perfectly fine with me. Besides, you're never a burden. You're a sweet and caring guy that deserves something like this." Dexter's face lite up as he happily took them money and thanked Luna for the gift. He then turned around and ran inside.

In a flash, Dexter was back at the twins apartment, playing on his new video game consol. Dexter played fiercly, as Luna walked up to him holding a tray. "I brought a little snack for us, in case you wanted a break." Two small red and white striped containers had popcorn in them and two cans of soda were right next to them. "Okay," Dexter replied as he got up and shut the system down. He then sat on the couch, next to Luna. She was wearing a white t-shirt and green shorts, to which Dexter admitted to himself that she looked good in. "I'm so happy that I have a girlfriend as great as you," Dexter commented as he smiled at Luna. Luna smiled back. "And I'm very happy to have a boyfriend like you Dexter." They put their arms around one another, before sighing happily.

_Dexter wakes up_

Ding! The elevator was at the top floor and Dexter shook his head. "I must have fallen asleep," Dexter muttered as he got off the elevator, "That sure was a strange dream, but it was a nice one at least. Maybe having Luna as a girlfriend could be fun." But then, Dexter remembered what Sly said and how Luna was out of his league. "Yeah. Sly's right," Dexter said to himself. Before going to the door, he decided to wait by the elevator and think this over. "Besides, that dream was what _Luna_ could bring to the relationship. What could _I _give to her?" Dexter pondered for a moment. "Well, I'm nice and..." Dexter tried really hard to think of another quality that he had. "And...and..." He sighed. He couldn't think of anything. Besides, almost every other guy in the world could say that they're nice too. Sly was right. Luna was way out of his league and there was no way that he'd be good enough for her. Plus, Luna was much taller than him and she wouldn't want to go out with a guy shorter than her.

"Then again, I did have my growth spurt," Dexter muttered to himself, "So maybe I'm just as tall as she is!" Even though Dexter knew that he would never be going out with Luna, he figured that he could at least go see her on a good note. Before Dexter could think of another reason why Luna would never be with him, he jogged over to the apartment door and rang the bell. "Just a minute," a female voice called and Dexter knew it was Luna. He happily smiled and wiggled a little bit, waiting for her to get to the door. Once Luna checked the peephole, the door swung open.

"Hey Dexter!" She then cupped her hands. "Aww! You got me flowers as a welcome home gift!" She took the flowers from his hands and Dexter noticed that he was only up to her chin at best. Luna smelled the flowers as Dexter realized that Luna was still a full head taller than him. "Oh thank you Dexter!" Luna said cheerfully as she turned back to him, "You're so sweet!" Dexter shyly looked down in embarrassment, before looking back up again. "Why don't you come inside?" Luna offered as she made room for Dexter to go through the door.

Dexter walked inside the large apartment, he couldn't help, but wonder about Luna's height, as he took a seat on the couch. "Hey Luna, how tall are you?" Luna stood next to the couch. "About 6 feet or 2 meters, depending on what measurement you're using." Dexter looked at his lap. "Oh," he replied, as he was stunned by the amount. Luna then spoke up. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Dexter was kind of hungry. "Do you have any snacks?" he questioned. Luna still held her smiled. "Of course, we have some chips, cheese crackers, cookies..."

"Cheese crackers sound good," Dexter replied. Luna nodded. "Okay. I'll get some for you." Luna then turned around and headed for the kitchen. As she did, Dexter watched her walk. '6 feet,' Dexter thought, 'No wonder she's so much taller than me. Heck, she's taller than most girls.' He then looked at how Luna's body was structured and noticed that well over half of that height was caused by her long, lean, and smooth looking legs. Dexter felt his face heat up, the longer he stared. Luna's long green hair was gently bouncing with each step. Suddenly, her hair moved, as so did her body, as Luna looked over her left shoulder, back at Dexter. He gasped to himself, before turning away from her, looking guilty with his red cheeks. Luna turned back around and continued walking to the kitchen.

When she made it, she headed towards a corner of the counter top, and put the flowers in a tall glass. She stopped to think about what had just happened. 'Dexter was checking me out,' Luna thought, 'I've never noticed him doing that before.' As Luna thought about it some more, for some odd reason, it wasn't bothering her. Normally, if it was a guy on the street or out in public, she might give him an angry look or mean stare as if to say, "I know what you're doing." But with Dexter, Luna didn't feel those same feelings. 'It's probably due to Dexter being my friend,' Luna thought. Even though Dexter and Luna were not super, super close and didn't know _everything_ about each other, Luna knew Dexter's personality. He was a shy, caring, and kind person, who didn't seem like the kind guy who would try to hurt or take advantage of her. Plus, with him looking away in embarrassment and guilt, Luna knew that he wasn't some sort of creep or pervert, as they probably would have kept on staring. "Dexter's such a nice guy," Luna spoke to herself, as she took a glance back at Dexter, who was still looking guilty on the couch, "That I'm not upset if he was staring at me. After all, I trust him more than I do with most other guys." Still, with that said, Luna was in a very odd position. With so much trust and knowledge of Dexter, would it be okay if she knowingly teased him like that again? She could never do that to other guys that she didn't know and she really enjoyed the thought of someone trustworthy finding her attractive. It was all new to her, but it gave her some attention that wasn't going to be dangerous. Plus, it would definitely give her some confidence if she went out to meet guys and wanted to wear something attractive. In truth, Luna thought that the idea sounded fun.

She took out a bowl and poured an entire box of cheese crackers into it. She then got two glasses of water and carried them over to the living room. Luna then put the bowl and glasses on a coffee table, bending over slightly, and giving Dexter a quick peek at her behind. It was a natural movement, so if Dexter didn't notice, there was no disappointment. Plus, Luna wanted to start small and didn't want to do anything drastic. She then sat down and noticed that Dexter turned to her a moment later than usual. So, it looked like she was okay on her first try.

"So," Luna spoke up, "How has your summer vacation been so far?" Dexter shrugged. "Okay I guess. I haven't really done anything notable so far." Luna put a hand on his shoulder. "Did those kids still pick on you?" Dexter nodded. "But it wasn't so bad the last few days, since everyone was focused on going to the high school area of school." Luna nodded and understood. "Well that's good, because I really feel bad for you Dexter." Now it was Dexter's turn to put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. I just really want to thank you for everything you've done for me Luna. I really appreciate it." Luna told him that she was very welcome and the two of them started munching on the crackers. Luna asked if Dexter wanted to watch TV and they soon found a cooking show to watch.

"Do you regularly watch these kinds of shows?" Luna asked. "Every now and again," Dexter replied, "Why? Do you?" Luna shrugged. "Every now and again." They turned back to the screen an continued watching. As the show was about to end, Leo came home from Turbo Dueling practice. He had recently got a Turbo Dueling permit, as long as he had someone there with him. Leo was only renting a Duel Runner for now, as he wanted Yusei to be with him when he went to buy his first real one later.

"Hey you two. How's it hanging?" Luna and Dexter stood up. "It's great to see you Leo. How's the Turbo Dueling going?" Dexter asked. Leo then told them how he smoked the other duelists and Luna and Dexter congratulated him. "So what have you two been up to?" Leo asked. "We've just been sitting and watching TV," Luna replied, "Do you want to sit and watch with us?" Leo nodded, although he took the remote, and changed the channel to something else. As they watched the show Leo picked, Luna decided that it was best if she didn't try to tease Dexter anymore. After all, if anyone could tell she was acting strange, it was Leo. She decided to save that for another day.

After they waved goodbye, Leo was hungry as usual. As he went to the fridge, Luna sat down and contemplated what had happened that day. 'I wonder if Akiza does anything special for Yusei?' Luna wondered, 'I know she only wears certain swimsuits for him, but is there anything else? And how often does she do it?' After Leo decided on what was for dinner, Luna helped him out, and they were able to eat in about a half an hour. Once the dishes were done, Luna decided to call Akiza in private. It was some special girl time that Luna loved having when Akiza still went to Duel Academy and as she was growing up. Luna made sure to keep the volume down, so that Leo wouldn't hear her and Akiza talking over the video chat on her computer. When Akiza picked up, they greeted each other and Akiza asked what was up.

"I was just wondering if there was anything special that you wear for Yusei?" Luna asked. Akiza didn't quite get it. "What do you mean?" she replied. "I mean, are there any special outfits or things you wear just for him and his eyes only?" Akiza blushed. "Well...I do have a swimsuit. Why do you need to know?" Akiza gasped. "Is there someone you like?" Luna shook her head. "No. It isn't anything at all. I just wanted to know, when I do eventually date someone, was there anything special that you do for him? Like wear something that's more revealing or trying to let him see something that you might not let anyone else look at?" Akiza nodded. "You're not thinking about getting in the bedroom are you?" Luna shook her head.

"No! No! Leo and I are waiting for marriage, just like Yusei and yourself. I just thought that if you really like him, do you let him stare at you a little bit more? I mean, if someone did that to you in public, you might get upset. If Yusei did it, you might not mind."

"Ohh!" Akiza replied, "Yes! I get it now. I will let you in on a secret Luna and that is that I do let Yusei stare at me. I've caught him in the act a few times before. At first, I got mad, but when I realized just how close we are, I started _wanting _him to find me attractive. I _wanted_ him to stare at me and Yusei has caught on. After all, if him and I get married someday, I'd like to have him find me attractive." That made Luna ask another question. "What about for yourself? By that, I mean, how do you do that for him? He's not some super sexy hunk and, I hope you're not upset at me Akiza, but I think you're a very pretty young woman. So, do you find him attractive, even if he's not Mr. perfect body."

"I find Yusei physically attractive just as much as he does for me. You're right Luna. Most guys aren't super muscular hunks and Yusei has never been that. With that in mind, I've found the best thing is just accept how he looks. When you do that, things that don't seem attractive to other people are a turn on for you. I've done that with Yusei and I think he's even more attractive than he was when I first met him." For Luna, it all made sense. As long as she loved a guy, it didn't matter how good looking he was. You would learn to love how they look, kind of like the saying "only a mother could love." Only this time, it's your boy or girl friend. "That sounds kind of cool," Luna commented, "I hope that, even if I don't find some super hunk, I can still find him attractive."

"It's a lot easier than you think," Akiza replied and gave her a knowing wink. Luna smiled and thanked Akiza for the advice. When she was done, she shut down her laptop to think. 'If I can get Dexter to go swimming with me, maybe I can try it out,' Luna thought. The only issue was that Dexter wasn't big into swimming, even though he had done it a few times over the past few years. Luna decided to head out and started thinking of a plan.

A week later, Dexter was walking to the twins apartment. Luna said that she needed his help with something, but she didn't say what. All she wanted was for them to go swimming. Luna stressed that they didn't have to do it for very long and all she needed was a few minutes. Luna also offered to let Dexter stay for lunch if he choose to and, with that as an added bonus, Dexter accepted her offer. He wanted to help Luna with whatever her problem was, but since he didn't know what it was, he worried that he wouldn't be able to help her. He made his way up to the Tops and Luna was there to greet him. She let him inside and he went to get changed. After changing into some better clothing, he went outside with his goggles and glasses case. He looked around and didn't spot Luna, so he sat down on a chair that was part of a outdoor dining set. He noticed a camera sitting on the table.

Moments later, Luna came to the door and slid the glass door open. She took a few steps outside and had a giant white towel wrapped around her, that covered just about everything, except her head, feet, and a little part of her lower legs. "So what did you need me to help you with?" Dexter asked as he stood up. Luna smiled. "Well...I was hoping that you could tell me how I looked in a new swimsuit I got." Dexter smiled back. "Well sure. I'd be more than happy to." Before Luna unveiled her suit, she added. "You're the first person to see me in it. So I really hope you like it." Dexter nodded, before Luna pulled back her white towel.

Dexter gasped and his face turned red. He was at a loss for words, with her forest green two-piece. Luna let the towel lay down on the ground as she turned her body slightly, to give him a better angle. "How do I look?" Dexter gulped and tried to think of something to say. "You...you look great," Dexter replied. 'Her or the swimsuit?' Dexter wondered in his head, as he became embarrassed for staring at her for so long. He looked down in guilt, as Luna might be upset at him for staring. It wasn't the first time he had seen her in a suit like that, but they were now older and more mature. So, Dexter was finding both her and suit attractive. He felt guilt inside of himself for staring, as Luna looked on.

'He...he likes it!' Luna said happily to herself, 'Not to mention he looks really cute being all shy and embarrassed like that.' Luna couldn't help herself and giggled, overjoyed that Dexter liked the outfit. It wasn't the first time they had seen each other in a swimsuit, but now that she was older, Dexter's answer gave her a lot more confidence. She waited until he looked up, before turning around and giving him the full 360 shot. Luna saw Dexter become seemingly more nervous after she spun for him, but Luna was fully of happiness. He was finding her attractive and that made her very happy that someone she trusted thought that of her. Luna took a moment to look at Dexter, as Akiza had suggested. He was thin at just about every place on his body. Luna didn't mind and wasn't upset that Dexter wasn't up to many women's expectations of how a man should look. Luna walked up to him, still grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm so happy you think I look good in it," Luna said as he looked up at her. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Your opinion means a lot to me Dexter, so thank you for being honest with me." Dexter felt nervous having Luna in such little clothing so close to him and his voice reflected it. "Um...you're welcome," Dexter replied, "It does look really good on you. Maybe you should wear it more often." Luna nodded. "Sure. I'll think about it." In her mind, Luna wanted to only wear it when Dexter was around, but she refrained from revealing that to him.. "Come on!" Luna encouraged him, "Lets go swimming for a little bit." Dexter changed into his goggles and they both went into the pool. It was only about 15 minutes, but as soon as Dexter suggested they stop, Luna did not try to stop him. Dexter saw Luna's wet body and made sure to look in opposite direction as her, when he dried himself off. "So what's with the camera?" Dexter asked. "I thought that we could take a picture of each other," Luna suggested, "If you thought I looked good in it, I was thinking that I could have a picture to remind me of that. I also thought that _you_ could have a picture as a thank you gift." Dexter thought it was a little odd, but he wasn't going to say "no." He took the camera, once they were completely dried off and took a full body shot of her. "Would it be okay if I take a picture of you too?" Luna asked. Dexter shrugged. "All right," he replied. Luna wanted to try Akiza's advice some more, so it only made sense to keep a picture to practice with. After they were done taking pictures, Luna and Dexter both showered. Afterwards, Luna made egg salad sandwiches for lunch for them to eat. When they were all done, Dexter thanked her for lunch and Luna waved goodbye as he headed for the elevator. Once he was inside, Luna shut the door.

"That was so cool!" Luna said to herself, "Dexter thought I was attractive and it was all over his face!" Luna felt so excited when she finally got to remove the towel and show him what she picked out. Now, even after Dexter had left, Luna was still feeling as happy and excited as when she first got to show off for him. Luna ran to her room and laid on her bed. She sighed happily at finally getting to know what it felt like to show off her body and have someone find it attractive. She closed her eyes and tried to re-live the event.

**A/N: I apologize of Luna getting self-confidence by showing herself off to Dexter sounds odd. Since it was something new to her, it only makes sense to start with someone trustworthy. Plus, it helps that she knows that Dexter finds her attractive. Could it lead to something more? Find out soon enough.**

**Thanks for all the feedback and thanks for all your support!  
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	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**A/N: A lot more faithshipping in this Chapter and a tender moment for Yusei and Akiza.  
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**KaiFudo16: Thanks for the review! I'm sure Yusei's caught Akiza looking a few times at him.  
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**drytacos: I would love to, but since you don't have a profile, I can't PM you. Plus, if you did have one, you could get alerts/e-mails every time I posted a new Chapter. Until you have a physical profile, there's nothing I can do. Sorry.  
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As Akiza got packed up to head back to school, she remembered that Yusei wanted her to visit before she left. Akiza instantly knew that he was going to smother her with goodbye kisses and hugs and say the usual "check in whenever you want" speech. It may be routine for the couple to do, especially now that they had done it a few times, but both enjoyed it none the less. Once Akiza was sure she had everything, she headed off to the Tops, thinking about the past summer.

Yusei had come over often just to say hello, but he would usually stick around for him to be offered to stay for supper. Yusei always ate whatever Akiza's mother prepared, even if Akiza knew he wasn't a fan of BBQ ribs. To be honest, Akiza heard his stomach rumble about an hour later and Akiza offered to go out for ice cream, to help him have something in his stomach. Yusei and Akiza both had a banana split and Akiza enjoyed watching him gobble down the split like it wasn't even there. Yusei came over to he place, but Akiza also came over to his apartment just as often. They had gone out with the twins a few times, who lived just across the hall, but most of the time Akiza and Yusei were left alone. Akiza preferred having time alone with Yusei, as it let them be much more intimate. Yusei would give her a hug, kiss, or some kind of affection constantly. At first, Akiza hadn't been used to so much affection, due to her past and what she had known about Yusei's personality.

But now, Akiza and Yusei couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Yusei loved to give her a kiss on the cheek and then whisper a sweet phrase like, "I love you" into her ear. Akiza loved returning the gesture and it was fun to just stare into each other's eyes or just cuddle together, without a word being said. Those moments were the best, as Akiza knew that she would probably get a few more, before she had to head back for Germany. As Akiza walked, she remembered that Yusei said that he had a surprise for her. Akiza thought that meant that he was going to kiss her or something, but maybe it meant something else. She quickened her pace and quickly arrived at the Tops.

When Yusei opened the door, Akiza was met with a smile on Yusei's face. "Hey Akiza! Come on in!" Akiza took a step inside and Yusei shut the door. Before Akiza could go any further, Yusei wrapped in a hug and sighed happily. Akiza quickly returned the hug as Yusei told her that he loved her. "I love you too," Akiza replied and gave Yusei a kiss on the cheek. Yusei and Akiza smiled at one another for a moment, before Yusei took his right arm off of her and they walked towards the couch. Akiza took a seat and Yusei gave her another kiss. Akiza smiled and turned to him. "So what's this big surprise?" Akiza asked. "Oh! You want to do that now?" Akiza quickly felt guilty. "No! It's not that! We can do it whenever you want Yusei." Yusei got up. "It's okay. Lets do it right now." Yusei got up and picked up a small white box. "I didn't think it was a physical gift," Akiza replied as Yusei sat down, "I thought that it'd be more...um..." Yusei laughed. "Don't worry Akiza. We'll do everything we normally do, but I'm actually kind of glad that you mentioned this. It would be better to do it, before we...well, you know." Akiza reached for the box, but Yusei pulled it back.

"Before we start, I just want to explain why I got this for you." Akiza smiled and retracted her hands. "I remembered you saying that you'll start working on your degree this semester and one of those things is working in a hospital as a student teacher type thing." Akiza nodded and remembered telling him about her upcoming classes. "You also mentioned that you'll have a small office space, so I thought I'd give you something to put in it." Akiza smiled as Yusei held the gift out for her to take. Akiza accepted it. "Well thank you Yusei. That's very considerate of you." Akiza then opened the unwrapped white box. When she took the lid off and sloppily folded tissue paper, she was stunned to see a photo.

The photo was a picture of all of their friends winning the WRGP and celebrating together in Victory Lane. Akiza smiled and turned to Yusei. "Wow! I never expected this! Thank you Yusei!" She gave him a kiss as she wrapped him in a brief hug. Yusei chuckled. "Yeah. I ask your mom if you had a picture of that and she said no. So I thought I'd give you one. It lets you know that all of your friends are supporting you Akiza." Akiza nodded. "Right. Thank you again Yusei. That was really sweet of you." As Akiza looked back at the photo, she then asked Yusei a question.

"Don't you have this picture too?" Akiza asked. Yusei nodded. "Yeah. It's with my friendship shrine. Come on. I'll show it to you." Akiza had never seen Yusei's "friendship shrine" before, despite being at his house numerous times. She set the picture back in the box as Yusei led Akiza to a small room by a large window. There sat Bruno's vizor's, the WRGP trophy, and the exact same photo that Akiza now had in her possession. After closer examination, Akiza noticed that the picture frame for Yusei was exactly the same as the one she had. "Yusei. You have the same picture frame as me." Yusei nodded. "I know. I did that on purpose. That way, we both have something that's the same, even when you're overseas learning how to become a doctor." Akiza leaned in and gave Yusei another kiss on the cheek. "Plus," Yusei added, "I didn't want to have a better frame than you and look like a jerk saying that I deserved a better picture frame than you." Akiza rolled her eyes, as it was no big deal to her.

Still, this was the first time, in a long time, that she had seen the WRGP championship trophy. Akiza picked it up and Yusei stood by her side. "Remember when we won that?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. The two of them then recalled the victory celebration.

_They Recall_

Before Yusei and his friends went up to face ZONE they decided to have something good to celebrate, before having to go do something so serious. That meant celebrating their WRGP victory, which they all worked very hard on. They were all given a small bottle of champagne, but since they were all underage, they had to promise not to drink it. Of course, the exception went to Jack, since he wasn't going to be denied a shot at alcohol, and Bruno since they didn't know his age, but he looked old enough. Plus, the organizers didn't think that people who were so young would win, so there was nothing they could do about it.

Sure enough, Leo, Luna, and Akiza all kept the bottles from touching their lips, as they sprayed each other wildly with the bubbly liquid. Crow was a little more reserved with Bruno and they snuck a few sips in here and there. Jack, meanwhile, tried to save as much as he could, as he wanted to get his first real taste of liquor. When the photo was taken, Leo had wrestled the bottle from his sister, douching her with a spray. Jack opened his bottle, but kept his thumb on it, to keep from losing the valuable drink. Yusei held the trophy in his hands, as Crow and Bruno celebrated in a much calmer demeanor. We pick it up, just as the photo was being taken.

A snapshot of a camera showed the team celebrating. As Akiza's spray went high into the air, the twins and Yusei were showered in a misty spray. Yusei had been keeping a eye on Akiza, as she was laughing and celebrating. She went up to Yusei with her bottle in hand. "Come on Yusei! You're barely wet! Lets get you soaked!" Yusei set the trophy down as Akiza chased after him. Everyone stopped to watch as Akiza got Yusei cornered, before unleashing the rest of her container on him. Yusei could hear Akiza laughing and he would been sprayed for a million years, if it meant he kept getting to hear her laugh.

Everyone else looked at one another and Crow rolled his eyes. Bruno even knew that something was up. Despite "love" not being in the cyborg's files, Jack and Crow explained it to him, when Yusei was not around. After observing with both their information and what he knew about Yusei, it was clear that Akiza and Yusei were much bigger than just friends. Leo and Luna turned to one another and knew what was going on too. Even Leo, who hated love, wanted to see Yusei and Akiza get together. It would be really cool to see their big brother/big sister or possibly mother/father role models end up together. Yusei and Akiza kept laughing, even after they were both dripping wet in the sticky liquid. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Could they get any more bloody obvious?" he asked as he took a sip from his bottle.

Later, they were all ready to go home. Even though they had a big task in front of them, they wanted a chance to celebrate the moment a little while longer. When Jack asked if Yusei wanted his bottle of champagne, Yusei decline. Jack got a knowing smile and put his hands on his hips. "Don't you want to drench Akiza as payback for earlier?" Yusei turned to Akiza, who still had a few drops dripping from her hair, as Leo and Luna had also drenched the two of them. "That's okay," Yusei replied, "We're both pretty wet." Jack pushed the bottle in his face. "Then why don't you drink some of it?" Yusei's face firmed up. "No thanks," Yusei replied, "Besides, I'm under-aged." Yusei had tasted a few drops of the liquid after being sprayed and admitted that it tasted pretty decent. Still, even at that point and in the future, Yusei had no desires to drink alcohol. Still, Jack was the complete opposite. "You can never let go and have fun," Jack replied and took the screwable cap off, "Suit yourself." He then took a huge gulp of the bottle.

Later, they all were going to walk home together. With the extra bottle of champagne, Jack had too much to drink, so they wanted to make sure he didn't drive home. Akiza's parents and the twins called for people to take their runners home, as they wanted to leave together as a group. For Jack, it was especially tough and Crow tried to have Jack lean on him. "Come on big boy! We're going home," Crow said as he tried to get Jack to lean on his shoulder. Jack was so intoxicated, that he slouched over, as if he had no energy. Crow struggled and finally looked to the group for help. "Come on Yusei! Help me out here!" Yusei turned to him and then looked away. "I can't," Yusei replied, "I have to hold the trophy. Besides, I'm not very strong. Have Bruno do it. He's bigger and stronger than me." Bruno shook his head. "I can't," he replied, "I don't feel so good." In truth, the robot had consumed some of the champagne and it wasn't doing too well with his circuits. Crow looked at Yusei and shouted.

"Come on Yusei! Stop being such a trophy hog! You've been the one to spend the most time with it! Let someone else carry it home and help me out over here!" Leo got excited. "Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!" Leo cried with a hand raised. Yusei didn't hear him, as he turned towards Akiza, who was standing to his left. "Here," Yusei offered as he held the trophy out for her, "Why don't you take it?" Akiza was stunned. "Really?" Yusei nodded and smiled at her.

"Aww!" Leo cried and Crow rolled his eyes again. Akiza still wasn't sure if she was worthy of carrying it. "Are you sure Yusei?" He nodded. "You've earned this trophy just as much as I have. You were part of our team Akiza and I know that I can trust you with it." Akiza smiled as she gently took the silver and gold cupped trophy. "Thank you Yusei." The two of them smiled at one another for a moment, before a drunken Jack ruined the moment.

"I want to go home now my orange haired mommy!" Jack cried. Crow looked upset a him. "I am not your mommy!" Crow hollered, "Yusei come help me out." Yusei gave one more smile at Akiza, before going over, and resting Jack's left side on his shoulders. They soon made their way down the street, as Jack continued to mutter and scream. "I'm the best in this entire world and you are my servants!" Jack cried. Yusei looked over and watched as Akiza held onto the trophy. She was examining it closely and Yusei was able to mostly drown out Jack's crying and screaming.

She looked beautiful walking with it in her hands and it caused Yusei to, at the time, show a rare smile. Yusei knew that all the victories, trophies, and prize money in the world couldn't give him a fraction of the happiness he would have if he was able to win Akiza's heart. He smiled and knew that one day, he was going to be with her.

_End Flashback_

Yusei and Akiza had remembered the moment as Akiza set the trophy back down. "It sure is a nice shrine," Akiza commented, "Thank you for showing it to me." She gave Yusei a kiss. "Your welcome," he replied. Yet, Yusei knew that this wasn't the only shrine he was going to have. Another one was going to be made and would make this one look like it wasn't worthy of being a here at all. He led her back to the living room and the two of them talked some more. "Never give up and continue to smile Akiza," Yusei said sweetly to her, "You have the most beautiful smile in the entire world."

Across the hall, Luna and Dexter were talking as well. Luna held out the photos of herself and the two of them together. "Here Dexter. I hope you'll keep these in a special place." Dexter nodded. "I will. Thank you so much Luna." Luna smiled back. "You're very welcome Dexter." He soon headed out and had a tough time not looking back at how beautiful Luna looked in her swimsuit.

Still, Luna was much more than a pretty girl to look at and Dexter knew this over the next few months. High school was better than junior high was and, while he got called "Choc Craz" every once in a while, it wasn't nearly as bad as the years before. Luna told him that it was probably due to almost everyone having gone through puberty. Still, even with the less bullying, Luna and Leo stayed in touch and supported Dexter along the way.

For Akiza, she was using all the support she could get. This semester was harder than any other and Yusei made sure to support her in any way possible. Akiza sighed as she sat at her tiny little office space after her first day of classes. She looked at the picture Yusei gave her and remembered Yusei's words. "Never give up and continue to smile Akiza. You have the most beautiful smile in the world." Akiza then remembered that Yusei kissed her lovingly after those words and she could feel Yusei's lips on her own. Akiza managed a smile. 'Okay. I won't give up!' Akiza thought to herself.

Akiza worked as hard as she could and met with teachers after class. It was nice that one of her teachers spoke very fluent English, so talking with her was very easy. "You seem like such a good student," Ms. Irshlat replied, "So is there someone really supporting you? Especially since you live across the Atlantic?" Akiza nodded. "My parents of course," Akiza replied, "But I have a boyfriend that is always in touch and wants to know how I'm doing. He's been the most influential person in my life and I love him so much."

Still, even with Yusei's support, Akiza became worried about how she was going to do. Going into each test, she worried about how difficult it was going to be, despite a couple hours of studying. For Akiza, she had to go to a local hospital to just watch and learn about giving some of the more basic things in being a doctor. Still, this was the part that Akiza was focused on the most, as this is what she really wanted to do. The doctor was female, with thick, round glasses. Akiza was only with her, when she dealt with female patients, as the doctor didn't want the male ones being distracted by Akiza's extremely large bust. Still, Akiza wore a lose fitting coat, to try to hide her chest, which even then was difficult. Akiza enjoyed the time out of the classroom and the doctor ended up giving her an easy A for working with her.

Akiza didn't do nearly as good in her other classes and Yusei kept feeling a though he was being a bad boyfriend. Crow and Jack both were well on their way to winning titles, with Sherry winning a event after her first few attempts. Leo was going to try for his license and Akiza felt as though everyone else was having a good time, while she was struggling. Yusei tried to keep encouraging her, but it seemed to have less of a effect than before. When Akiza came home, Yusei wanted to give her a night out, just for themselves. As soon as Akiza arrived, Yusei and her family were there to meet her. After Yusei handed her a bouquet of red roses, Yusei guided her to the exit. Akiza looked on, as Martha and her parents looked on. They took her luggage, saying that Akiza wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Yusei, where are we going?" Yusei smiled. "We're going to go on a date," he replied, "We'll go home together and you'll get dressed. Afterwards, we'll be going out to eat." Akiza smiled. "I liked that idea," she replied and the two of them shared a brief kiss. Yusei brought her to a limo outside, on a cold, sunny day. Akiza climbed in, with only Yusei behind her. The driver then headed off, once they both put on their seat belts. "So how was Finals?" Yusei asked. Akiza's bright, cheerful face turned sour. "Okay," Akiza replied, "I passed all my classes, but I didn't do as well as I thought I could."

"Did you try your hardest?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. Yusei leaned over and kissed the right side of her head. Akiza looked somberly up at him. "That's all I ask Akiza is that you do your best. Don't worry about being perfect. Besides, many people graduate college without perfect or even great GPA's and still could end up with the same job as you." Akiza nodded as Yusei wrapped his left arm around. "If you ever need someone to comfort you. I'm always here for you Akiza." Akiza blushed briefly as the limo continued on home. When they got there, Yusei held her hand to the door. "I'll pick you up at 7," Yusei replied, "Try to wear something formal." Akiza nodded and Yusei got back into the limo, which would help him not have to walk in the bitterly cold weather.

Later, Akiza had gotten ready in a dark red dress. Yusei had arrived in a button up red shirt and black pants. Yusei admired Akiza, as she slowly walked down the steps. Akiza eyed Yusei watching her, just like she had told Luna a few months back. Still, Akiza liked showing off for Yusei, because with his gaze on her, she got to look at him as well. Once Akiza made it down the steps, Yusei and Akiza both had to, unfortunately, hide their outfits under heavy coats, as it was going to get well below freezing. Yusei again took her hand and a limo was waiting for them. In truth, Yusei enjoyed getting to be such vehicles, as he was getting used to being driven around by somebody else. Akiza watched out the window, with occasional breaks for kisses and one arm hugs with Yusei. Akiza smiled once she saw the place they were going to.

"The Spaghetti Maker?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. "I was hoping that taking you back to our first date could help cheer you up. Plus, we mentioned our first date a little while back, and we haven't been able to come back here in quite a while." Akiza smiled as she got out and Yusei was there to guide her inside. The dinner was delicious, just like their first date. Yusei and Akiza sweet talked through out, giving each other compliments along the way. Yusei then took her hand and the driver took them home. Instead of just going inside and leaving, Akiza wanted Yusei to stay.

"Why don't you come inside?" Akiza offered, "Besides, we didn't get a chance to_ kiss _yet." Yusei thought he knew what that meant, but his lack of romance caused him to think out loud. "Does that mean we're going to make out?" Yusei asked. Akiza couldn't help, but laugh.

"Yes Yusei." Yusei thought about it for a moment. "Yes!" he cried as he raised his hands in the air. Akiza couldn't stop herself and laughed again. When they made it inside, Akiza's parents and Martha were still home. They were sitting downstairs and talking. "Crap," Akiza and Yusei both muttered as they were inside. Akiza grabbed Yusei's hand and took him up the stairs. "You're not going to do anything inappropriate are you?" Mr. Izinski asked as his wife and Martha watched them get to the top of the stairs. "No Dad!" Akiza replied. "We'll keep our clothes on," Yusei added. Martha had some less formal clothing for Yusei. "If you'd like, you could change into this," Martha suggested. Yusei went back downstairs and took the clothes from her. "I'll go get dressed," Yusei noted. Akiza replied that she would too and their parents nodded. Once he was changed, Yusei waited outside the bathroom, until Akiza's bedroom door opened, and they made their way inside Akiza's room. Yusei felt very awkward and felt his desire to make out with Akiza decrease. Akiza sat down on her bed and Yusei sat down next to her.

"Um...Yusei," Akiza said nervously. Yusei quickly pulled her close. "Yes Akiza?" Akiza looked downward. "I...don't want to make out. It'd feel so wrong to do it here and with our parents thinking we might take advantage of the situation." Yusei breathed a sigh of relief. "I totally agree," Yusei replied, "I'm happy you feel the same way." Yusei and Akiza smiled as they hugged and had a very brief kiss.

"So...what do you want to do?" Yusei asked. Akiza shrugged. "We can watch TV." Yusei thought that sounded good. There was a re-run of a TV show that Yusei and Akiza both enjoyed, that would air at the top of the hour. Airing before it was a crime show. Akiza and Yusei watched as the police were trying to arrest a guy. Akiza felt uneasy as they tried to tackle the guy, to stop him from getting away. Akiza looked over at Yusei, who didn't seem bothered by what was on screen. 'Maybe it's due to his upraising,' Akiza thought. She continued to watch as they finally got the criminal and he screamed in pain. Akiza looked at Yusei and saw the yellow mark on his cheek. Akiza couldn't take it anymore. She felt like the man on screen could have been like Yusei at one point. She knew Yusei's crime wasn't on the books anymore and wasn't as severe as what the man on screen did, but she still feared what Yusei had gone through. He had only told her the basics of what had happened. Akiza leaned forward and hugged Yusei.

"I'm sorry Yusei!" Akiza cried as she buried her face into his side."Akiza! What are you..." He looked down and saw Akiza in tears. She looked frightened and Yusei could tell that something was wrong. He turned off the TV, to give his full attention to his girlfriend. "Akiza! What's wrong?" Yusei asked. Akiza managed to look at him. "I'm...so sorry Yusei." Yusei was stunned. "Sorry? For what? If it's because we didn't make out, it's okay. I got to go on a great date with you tonight and that made me so happy." Akiza shook her head. "No! It's not that! It's just..." Akiza thought for a moment as she was still crying tears.

"I'm sorry you had to go the facility Yusei! You must have been in a ton of pain and it must have been scary being with all those other criminals." She put her fingers on Yusei's yellow mark. "You got this mark and people have looked at you as a criminal who did terrible things! I'm sure, even now, some people still don't trust you! I just wish I could take away all of the pain and suffering you had to live through. I'm so sorry!" Yusei hugged girlfriend as she leaned onto his lean chest, before finally leaning over a shoulder. Yusei remained silent like always, letting Akiza cry every last drop out of her eyes. She kept muttering that she was sorry and Yusei gently rubbed her back. Once Akiza had calmed down, Yusei waited until Akiza leaned back to look at him. Her beautiful brown eyes were red and she looked so sad. It made Yusei even more determined to make her smile again.

"Akiza. First of all, my time in the Facility was not as bad as on TV or in the movies. I was only in there a few days. A few days! I've had colds last longer than that. Second, I wasn't all alone. I made friends in the Facility, Bolt Tanner and Tenzen, plus Blister as well. Third of all, while there was some pain..." Akiza gasped. "When did that happen?" Yusei tried to remember. "There was a tiny bit when I got my mark, when I dueled this bad security guard that was fired afterwards..."

"I thought dueling wasn't allowed in the Facility," Akiza noted. Yusei nodded. "Yeah, it was. Although, everyone gave me a card and we built a deck. Tells you just how good of friends I made. Plus, Trudge said that inmates can now use decks and duel disks that are donated. They can buy them with the money that the good ones make doing jobs. Fights in the Facility are at a all-time low, now that people can take any arguments out with a deck and not a person. Trudge was the one who came up with the idea." Akiza managed a smile. "And that's one of the things you really emphasize. Don't ya Yusei?" He nodded. "Yes. Using your words or a deck is always a better idea than using your fist." Akiza's smile suddenly went away. "What other pain did you have to go through Yusei?" Yusei was hesitant, but knew he had to tell her the truth.

"Trudge didn't let me have my runner back, so I had to sneak into the compound area. When I did, the officers managed to attack me. After that, I had some brief amnesia, which the twins helped me get back. You know the rest of the story." Akiza gasped and held onto Yusei even tighter. "Is there anything else?" Yusei thought for a moment. "No. That's just about it." Akiza's arms didn't let go of Yusei as she spoke. "Oh Yusei. You had to endure not only all that, but..." She gently rubbed where his marker was. "This mark. A sign that you committed a crime. Maybe you should get that marker removal service that they offer to former inmates. You must look at it everyday and wish that it was gone, just like I did with my Signer mark." Yusei put his arms firmly around Akiza and looked her in the eyes.

"No Akiza. I thank you for the suggestion, but I don't want my mark removed." Akiza was stunned. "Why not?" Yusei smiled.

"Well, if it wasn't for me getting my mark and going to the Facility, I might have never met Blister, Bolt, or Tenzen. Granted, I barely see them anymore, I still made friends. Second, if it wasn't for going to Facility, I might have never met the twins Leo and Luna. They're two of my best friends in the entire world. They carried my up to their apartment and helped me get my memory back. They turned out to be Signers as well and they both helped out when it came to fighting ZONE and the Dark Signers. But all that combined can't make up for the the number one and most important reason why I've kept my mark." Akiza tried to figure it out, but couldn't. "Why is that?" she asked aloud.

"Because, without my mark and going to the Facility, I might have never met you." Yusei pulled Akiza into a tight hug. "You. The most beautiful woman in the world." Yusei then sighed happily as he gently shock Akiza back and forth. "Mmmm-mphhh!" He then leaned back and Akiza looked at him. She had a surprised look on her face, but Yusei had an open mouth smile on his. "Whenever I look at my mark, I always think of you Akiza. Without it, I might have never gotten the chance to become friends with you and helped you out. I might have never had the chance to fall in love with you and become your boyfriend." Akiza blushed. "But what about all the pain you endured?" Yusei had an answer. "It has all been taken away, just by seeing a single smile on your face." Akiza couldn't help, but reflect that smile right back at Yusei.

"See? Now all that pain was worth it." Akiza giggled. "Are you sure Yusei?" He nodded. "I'm 100% sure Akiza. Plus, don't forget, the crime I committed is no longer a law and my marker hasn't tracked me for years. So, it's now just a sign. A good sign Akiza and that is why I don't have my marker removed. It's what one thing lead to another that brought us together and it's a sign that I'll always have with me. My marker always reminds me of you Akiza. A person that I hold very close to my heart." Akiza's sadness had finally passed. Knowing now that Yusei's mark was a good thing in his eyes and it was a sign of herself made Akiza now look at it in a different light. The two of them shared a kiss on the lips, but refrained from taking it any further.

"Well, now that you know the whole story and that it's not as bad you thought," Yusei replied. "But, doesn't watching those TV shows or movies bother you at all?" Akiza asked, "I mean, you didn't seem phased when we were watching that show before?" Yusei shook his head. "No, because I know I'm not even half the criminal they are. The crimes they committed are far worse. My record has been wiped clean of any crimes, since the new law took effect, and I only broke the law that one time. Besides, I've never had an interest in those types of shows or movies anyways. I never watch them, not because it brings back bad memories, but I just don't care for them." Akiza gave Yusei a kiss on the cheek, happy to know that her boyfriend wasn't even close to the criminal some people thought he was.

"Hey! Our show is on right now!" Yusei said aloud as he pointed to Akiza's alarm clock. "Turn it on!" Akiza encouraged him, as their attention turned to the screen.

**A/N: I had some trouble with the ending, but I managed to figure one out.**

**The second and final Chapter of "Not What I Expected" will be up within the next few days. Be on the lookout for it!  
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**I hope you enjoyed the YuseixAkiza fluff and I hope you enjoyed this Chapter.  
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	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30!  
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**A/N: Time to respond to the reviewers!**

**Shinn Tsukishiro: Thanks so much! Yusei and Akiza do make a pretty terrific couple.**

**KaiFudo16: Glad you enjoyed it. Yusei being a affectionate guy would make him a good person for someone to be with and it's nice that he likes to shower her with hugs and kisses. It's a real shame that lots of men treat their women so badly.  
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** tom . zhu. 509: Thanks for the great review! Although, my only question is what do I need to do to earn the extra .01%? (Sorry for the spaces, but it was the only way I could type in your username)  
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**Here's the next Chapter!  
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As Akiza unwrapped her Christmas gift, which was rather large, it became apparent that Yusei had someone else wrap it for him. It was done much too nicely and it seemed too good to be done with his hands. Finally, Akiza was able to open it and see what it was.

"A basket full of bathroom soaps?" Akiza asked as Yusei came close to explain the contents of the basket. It all had a bright green color to it with the brown basket and handle. "Uh huh," he replied, "There's bubble bath, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and lotion too. Not to mention a few candles as well." Akiza turned to him. "What was the reason for all this?"

"You seemed to be really stressed out with your classes," Yusei replied, "So I was hoping this might help you relax a little bit more. I know you normally take showers, but I was hoping that this could make it worth taking the extra time for a bubble bath." He then held out a small box. "Here. I got one more gift for you." Akiza looked at the box, as it too was neatly wrapped. "Who did the wrapping?" Akiza asked, "It looks as though it was with someone who has a lot of experience wrapping gifts." Yusei looked towards the ceiling."Um...well...Martha did help with that part. I couldn't get the basket wrapped, so I figured she could wrap your second gift as well." Akiza laughed and opened up the small box. Inside, was a pair of razors and shaving cream.

"I know that women like to shave when they take a bath, so I thought I'd buy this to make sure your bath was complete," Yusei replied as Akiza picked up both gifts, "Although, I had to buy some men's razors as well, since I didn't want the cashier or other people getting other ideas." Akiza leaned over and kissed Yusei's cheek. "Thank you so much Yusei! I love the gift."

"Did I hear that someone likes her gift?" a voice asked. The couple turned to Martha, who came into the room ahead of Akiza's parents. Akiza got up and hugged Martha. "Yes you did," Akiza replied, "Thanks for the great wrapping job you did." Yusei got up as well and thanked her for her work. Martha smiled. "I knew you'd like it the second Yusei told me about his idea. I hope that you enjoy the scent he picked out." Akiza nodded. "Don't worry. I like both the color green and the scent, so it doesn't bother me." Akiza's parents smiled. "Now how about a picture?" Ms. Izinski asked and the couple sat in front of the tree, to take some photographs.

A couple months later...

Akiza sighed as she finished another day of school. She made it to her apartment and let her bag fall to the ground. This semester had been just as tough as the last. Not to mention there were _other _problems that had occurred.

_Flashback_

Akiza was busing working on a assignment in class. A young man sitting next to her with oval shaped glasses and short black hair sat next to her. He was known for being one of the students that always raised his hand for every question the teacher asked. Akiza personally didn't want to sit near him, but as with every other class, the seat you sit in the first day is usually your spot for the rest of the semester. The only good that came out of it was that, even though she tried to not to, his test booklet was always right next to hers. When she worked on the left side of a page and he worked on the right, it was impossible not to see what the other was writing. Still, Akiza didn't want to be caught for cheating, so she tried to avoid looking, but it was practically impossible not to notice his answers.

Back on that particular day, Akiza was leaning over and working on a sheet of paper. The boy sitting next to her noticed that, as Akiza leaned forward, her chest would almost brush the table. For Akiza, she barely noticed it, but to someone who wasn't around Akiza a lot, a little thing like this was a big deal. "So what type of doctor are you working towards?" he asked aloud to her. Akiza didn't move, but her eyes looked over at him. "I'm just going to do check ups and stuff like that," Akiza replied, "Why do you wanna know?" The student shrugged. "Well that makes sense, seeing as your a girl, you probably don't want to get in the line of fire. _Like a real doctor does." _Akiza leaned up from her assignment.

"What does that mean?" Akiza fired back, "There are many types of doctors, besides the ones that are in the emergency room. Besides, it takes all kinds of doctors to help run a clinic or hospital. Just because I don't want to deal with blood or life or death situations, doesn't mean I'm less of a doctor than you." The boy rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. I'm sure your into checking a patient's heart rate, their breathing, or how big their breasts are. Of course, I'm sure you're an expert in the last category." Akiza leaned in close. "What are you saying?"

"I'm just saying what everybody knows about you," he replied, "You've got a humongous chest. That's all." Akiza sighed and shook her head. She checked her watch and saw that there was only 5 minutes left in the class. She got her things and asked the teacher if she needed anything else. She claimed that she had a dentist appointment, although she always had them done back in New Domino City during her breaks. He said he didn't have anything else and Akiza made her way to the door. She looked over her shoulder at the male student as she left. He didn't see her, but giving him a mean glare helped Akiza blow off some steam.

_End Flashback_

Akiza sighed as she remembered it. Now that people were on the direct path towards their degrees, guys and girls were trying to hook up. Since they had the same degree, it only made sense to try and see if there was anything else they had in common. Akiza knew that she had gotten stares and guys checking her out, whether she noticed them or not. Still, throughout her entire study in Germany, Akiza had mostly kept to herself. She didn't like to talk to other people, other than mainly teachers, and she avoided every party that might be in the building or nearby. Akiza didn't want to go out by herself, for fear of someone doing something to her, and she just wanted to be left alone. Part of her wished that she could be back home, where she had people that would protect her and she could have fun with, but she quickly learned to live a pretty quite life. Now, it was also becoming a stressful lie.

Akiza suddenly remembered. "Yusei's gift!" Akiza said to herself, as she remembered the Christmas gift Yusei gave to her. She smiled as she took it out of a bag. It was too big to try and keep with the basket, so Akiza had to pack the items separately. Even without the basket, Akiza knew she had everything to try and use the gift in the way Yusei had intended her to. "I'll do this tonight!" Akiza proclaimed and she grabbed the contents of the basket. She then got everything set for a relaxing evening at home.

After supper, Akiza was so excited that she couldn't contain herself. She wanted to use the gift, not only because it was from Yusei, but to also help her relax. Akiza had already set the candles where she wanted them and she replaced her normal shampoo and conditioner with the new ones. Akiza went out and bought a box of matches, before quickly heading back home. Once she was inside, Akiza got ready. She put on her robe, which her parents gave to her for her Birthday. She then made her way into the bathroom and shut the door. Even when she was by herself, Akiza wanted to know that she would be able to have her private moment alone. Akiza then lit the candles and got the bath ready. She adjusted the water to a warm consistency and poured in the fragrant bubble bath. Once the tub was full, Akiza shut the lights off, with only the candles to see. She then untied her robe and all she had underneath were her usual green bra and underwear.

After setting the robe down, Akiza unhooked her bra and her chest shot out to it's natural size. She then set the bra on the bathroom counter and she took off her last bit of clothing, setting it down next to her bra. Next to both, was a matching set of undergarments. She took off her hair piece and red squared glasses and set them next to her clothing. Akiza turned around and sighed happily one last time, before slowly stepping into the bath. Her towels were nearby and already in place. Akiza was just the right height for the bath, as her tiny frame fit the bath wonderfully. Akiza brushed most of the bubbles towards her, to help cover her extremely large bosom, before sighing again, and closing her eyes.

She let the bath sink in and the warm water helped her calm down. She took some deep breaths, before opening her eyes. She turned to a picture frame, which Akiza had purposefully placed next to the tub. She dried her hands off with a towel by the edge of the tub, before picking it up. Inside of the frame was a picture of Yusei, in his swimsuit from the summer before. Yusei's metabolism wasn't what it used to be, so he had put on a few pounds. Still, he was no where near the danger zone of being overweight or obese, as he still had a lean build. Akiza smiled as she looked at the picture. She still had a few moments like this, where she was stunned as to just how much Yusei truly loved her. Akiza closed her eyes again and thought about Yusei and the wonderful gift he had given her. She the set the frame back to the side and Akiza was content with just looking at it with her eyes.

After soaking in the bath some more, Akiza picked up the razor and shaving cream that Yusei got for her. She lifted up her long, skinny leg and started shaving, turning a slightly hairy leg into a smooth one. After Akiza was done with that, she put on the fragrant shampoo, before washing it out of her short, red hair. She did the same with the conditioner and leaned back one last time into the tub. Akiza then stood up and carefully stepped onto a towel set out for her. She then wiped herself off, before quickly putting her underwear on. She put her glasses on followed by her bra, making sure that everything was on correctly, before slipping into her robe and tying it. After turning on the lights, she blew out all of the candles, drained the water, and hung up all of the towels to dry. She followed by doing her hair and putting her clip back on.

As Akiza leaned back into the small couch and watched a TV show online, Akiza found this night to be just as Yusei had hoped: relaxing. She made sure to do it whenever she got too stressed out and, with the help of Yusei and her family, the semester was better than last.

Across the Atlantic a few days later, Yusei sat down to watch TV, on a Sunday afternoon. He started flipping through channels, trying to find something good to watch. He finally went online to see what was on and he noticed a golf tournament was on. "Well, I can at least watch this," Yusei said as he quickly headed for that channel. When he got there, however, a TV ad was going to air. He looked back at computer screen, only to realize he had the wrong time zone and that it would start in a half an hour. "I've got nothing better to do, so lets see what it is."

Yusei hoped it would be a food or some kind of cooking show. Instead, he rolled his eyes when he saw the product. "Get the Comfort Bra! The most comfortable bra, you'll ever wear!" Yusei sighed and put his hand to his forehead. A woman appeared on screen. "Ladies, do you have constant back pain?" Yusei was confused. What did back pain have to do with a bra? The woman continued. "Chances are that it's not your fault! For most women, their breasts are simply larger than the average woman. This is the cause of your back pain." As the TV show showed women with large chests holding their backs, Yusei couldn't help, but notice. 'Akiza has a chest twice the size of those women,' Yusei thought as the woman introduced the product.

"Introducing the Comfort Bra. A revolutionary bra that supports women with large breasts. You see, this bra is no ordinary bra. It's specifically targets your back, to help it support your large chest. Lets go to some testimonials." The ad started talking to women who tried the product. Again, Yusei noticed that all of them were much smaller than Akiza's. Suddenly, Yusei realized something.

"If these women are having pain with their backs, what about Akiza? Could she be having back pain as well?" Yusei imagined Akiza holding her upper back and leaning over in pain. Her eyes were shut tight and there was no doubt that she was in pain. Yusei instantly became worried. "What if she's hiding the pain, just to make me happy?" Yusei wondered out loud. He watched as a doctor came on and talked about the product on a model woman. He talked about how it, not only supported her, but also provided comfort for her chest.

As they talked about how the all the ladies felt about it, Yusei wondered what it felt like to touch a woman's chest. Despite making out with Akiza numerous times, Yusei had never reached second base. To be honest, it wasn't as hard as it sounded not to touch Akiza's breasts when making out. Her groin would be pushed up against him, while her bust was pressed into his chest. Yusei always kept his hands around Akiza's waist and he made sure not to go to high or low, by keeping his hands in pretty much the same spot. He was also aided by both being pushed into him, so he just naturally never touched them. Still, would it hurt Akiza if he touched them? Would it feel good? Or would it just be "meh." Yusei didn't know, but he was curious about it. He wanted to ask somebody, most likely his friends Jack and Crow. The only problem was Yusei remembered a few months back. Jack and Crow didn't find it so great that he hadn't gotten higher than a single in a baseball game.

_Flashback_

Yusei was talking to Jack and Crow over a video chat.

"So Yusei, what base have you made it with Akiza?" Jack asked from a Turbo Dueling tournament. "Yeah Yus!" Crow added from a sunny place, "How high of a batting average do you have?" Yusei understood what they meant. "Well...I have made out with her," Yusei admitted and Jack and Crow cheered. "Great job!" Crow replied, "So you've easily made it to third for sure." Yusei shook his head.

"Um...no," he replied, "We've made out, but that's it." Jack frowned. "Yusei, are you telling me that you've _never _touched Akiza's breasts?" Yusei nodded, knowing he was going to get it. Crow and Jack groaned. "Come on Yusei!" Jack shouted, "They're huge! You're telling me you've never put your hand on her two giant cantaloupes?" Yusei shook his head again.

"Yusei, even I've made it to second base with a girl," Crow replied. Yusei asked him how he did that. "Lets just say that a Ms. Turbo Dueling is a lot more willing to let you do something to her, especially when you're both gay and a winner." Yusei rolled his eyes. Getting to second base with Akiza was not on his "to do list", so he didn't understand why they were so insistent on him doing the said action. He would only do it if Akiza wanted him to, but there really wasn't a situation where that would happen. Jack spoke up after a moment of silence. "I think I know why Yusei won't do it. It's because he's chicken." Yusei shook his head and almost laughed. "Come on guys. Lets not be a bunch of 10 year olds and start..."

Too late. Jack and Crow started clucking at him like a couple of chickens. Yusei knew how he could get them to be quite. He reached for his power button and, in a flash, Crow and Jack's faces disappeared. It wasn't the note Yusei wanted to end on, but this wasn't a subject for them to interfere in.

_End Flashback_

As Yusei remembered Jack and Crow wanting him to play with Akiza's melons, he knew that he was right. They are Akiza's breasts. Not his. He would not do it unless he had her full permission, but there never was a moment where that would happen. He then turned his attention back to the screen, as the program continued. Yusei became more and more concerned, as women with much smaller chests than Akiza were complaining about having back problems. 'Maybe I should get one for her,' Yusei thought, 'After all, I would hate to see Akiza in pain.' Yusei got up and called the number. He sighed once he heard the voice on the other line.

"Aello. This is Samantha. How may I take your order?" a woman asked with a thick foreign accent. Yusei rolled his eyes. "Yes _Samantha _I was wondering if you had any Comfort Bras." Amanda took a moment to respond. "Okay sir. Now what size are you?" Yusei got a sour look on his face. "Um...this is not for me," he replied, "It's for my girlfriend."

"Oh no worry sir," the woman replied, "We have lots of men calling to get one for themselves. There no shame in having man boobs." Yusei stared at the phone. "I don't have man boobs," he replied, "I barely have them at all." Amanda didn't listen. "No sir. You need to accept that you are fat and have big boobs. Now what size are you?" Yusei groaned and hung up.

"I'll just talk to Akiza about it when she gets back," Yusei reminded himself, "After all, I don't want her to be in pain, just to make me happy."

As Akiza worked her way through the semester, things seemed to be just a fraction easier, now that she knew the pace of going for her degree. She kept in contact with the twins as well, who were finding high school better than junior high. More time between classes made it easier to get from one place to another and they had started talking to some kids. Although, most of them were already Turbo Dueling friends of Leo. Almost every girl was intimidated by Luna's height, which she still seemed to get taller by the day. Some girls thought Luna should try out for basketball, but Luna politely declined. "Height isn't everything," Luna reminded them, "You need to have some skill too." She then thanked them for the invite though and happily walked away.

Crow and Jack started crisscrossing the country in defense of their titles. Carly was following Jack for more than just his dueling skills. Despite the dueling success for Crow, he considering joining another team. He liked winning, but he also enjoyed working his way up the latter through the ranks. If his team won again, he would think about finding a new team to help out.

When Akiza was doing her finals, she just couldn't shake off her nerves, even when taking a bubble bath. She needed a C or better in one of her classes and she had a B- going into the final test. "I'm really nervous," Akiza told Yusei over the phone. "Don't worry Akiza," Yusei replied, "I know you can do it. I believe in you. Do you have the necklace I gave you?" Akiza had totally forgotten about it. "Yes," she replied, "It's with my stuff. I'm sorry I forgot about it." Yusei laughed. "It's no problem Akiza. Just wear it during your test and know that I'm in your heart and I am always with you." Akiza smiled. "Thank you Yusei. You're so sweet." Akiza didn't hear anything for a moment, as Yusei was probably blushing a crimson red in embarrassment.

Before the test, Akiza grabbed onto her heart shaped necklace. 'Yusei is here with me,' Akiza thought, 'And he knows I can do it.' Akiza then smiled as she started her test.

When Akiza came home, she greeted Yusei at the airport with a big hug. "I passed my class," Akiza said happily as she held Yusei's bouquet of roses. Yusei smiled. "I knew you could do it Akiza." Akiza blushed, happy that Yusei was such a sweetheart. "Well, do you want to go out?" Yusei asked, referring to a date he had planned. "Actually, I'm rather tired," Akiza replied, "I didn't sleep real well on the plane ride, so I'd actually like to go home and rest." Yusei frowned in disappointment. "Okay," he replied, sounding a little down. Akiza now felt guilty. "I'm sorry if you already made a reservation." Yusei shook his head. "I didn't," he answered back, "You need your rest and that's more important. We can go out in a few days if you'd like." Akiza nodded. "That sounds good," she replied. Akiza then leaned in close. "We could also do our annual swim together. If you know what I mean."

Yusei looked baffled for a moment, before processing Akiza's request. Suddenly, he smiled and his face was a little red. "Okay. Sounds like a plan to me." If he got to see Akiza in a little bikini, it would be even easier to make out with her. Akiza reminded him to bring a camera for their usual shots and he nodded happily. Yusei and Akiza rode in a limo by themselves. Even though Akiza was tired, feeling Yusei's kisses and arm around her gave her something to be excited about.

After Akiza was dropped off and Yusei gave her a goodbye kiss, she quickly went to her bedroom to sleep. Getting used to time difference would difficult as always, but Akiza decided that being energized for her date with Yusei would be worth it. She snuggled up under her sheets and closed her eyes, that were covered by an eye mask. She gently fell asleep and couldn't wait for what was in store.

A couple days later, Akiza and Yusei agreed to wait for the weekend to go out on their date. Akiza's parents would be out of town for a thank you dinner for Akiza's father. He had passed a bill through the legislature and the group that pushed for it wanted to thank him. Akiza didn't mind when her parents informed her about it, since she liked to keep the rare swim outings with Yusei just to themselves. As Akiza cleaned up her room, she noticed the picture of Yusei that Akiza had brought to Germany and back. It was the one of Yusei in just his swimsuit. Akiza noticed his lightly tanned skin and body. Even though Yusei and Akiza didn't try to look perfect in the pictures, Akiza still wondered if she should at least try something to make the picture more attractive for Yusei. "What if I just went outside and tried to tan for just a little while?" Akiza wondered to herself. She went out and got the supplies she needed. Her Dad was at his senate office and her mother had gone to the grocery store, so no one was going to notice.

Akiza went out into the backyard, in her green bikini that she would wear for Yusei. She set the sunscreen on a table nearby. "Maybe I'll just tan one side and see how it goes," Akiza thought out loud. She decided to do her back first. If anything went wrong, then it wouldn't be noticed in the picture. Akiza started putting on the lotion, before noticing that she didn't have anyone to do her back. Akiza got an idea and went back inside. There, she found a spoon that could help her get the hard to reach areas. Akiza quickly realized another problem. "Should I leave my bra clipped? Because if I do, I'll get a really bad tan line." Akiza looked around the backyard. No one was around and Akiza was still going to keep her lower piece. Plus, she would be laying on her stomach so she would definitely keep the most important parts hidden in her cups.

"As long as I keep the important parts covered and inside the cups, I should be okay," Akiza reminded herself. She leaned onto a long, white lawn chair. Then, she unclipped her bra, but made sure to keep the naughty parts covered, even with no one around. She used the spoon to reach the spots covered by the straps, still making sure she remained covered. Once she was, she leaned onto the chair. Akiza had been looking up the news onto her laptop, to help pass the time. She started reading the news and kept track of the time. After about 15 minutes, Akiza felt her eyes start to feel sleepy.

'No! This is just the time difference,' Akiza reminded herself, 'Right now, you normally would be going to sleep. Fight it Akiza! Fight it!' But Akiza's body didn't listen. She managed to turn off the computer, just before her head leaned on the keypad and she feel asleep. As Akiza dozed off, a mosquito buzzed by her. It landed on her back, before wiggling it's tiny arms. After a few seconds, it flew away towards another innocent victim.

Akiza soon woke up and gasped. "Oh crap!" Akiza said aloud, "How long did I sleep?" She turned on her laptop, to find out that it had only been a half an hour. "Okay. That's good," Akiza reminded herself. "How's my back?" Akiza made sure to clip her bra back into place, before getting up and heading for a restroom inside. She used a mirror against a mirror to examine herself. "Still not very tan," Akiza concluded, "I guess I'd better do it a little longer." Akiza suddenly heard the front door open. "Akiza! Can you help me with the groceries?" Akiza gasped. If her mom saw her in barely any clothing, she would start to get ideas and wonder what Akiza was up to.

"I'll be right there mom! Hold on a minute!" Akiza raced across the top floor to her room, where she could put on some more appropriate clothing. Akiza quickly changed and headed back down to help her mother. "I guess that takes care of that," Akiza said to herself as she brought some food to the kitchen. As Akiza walked, a small red mark appeared on her back, right in line with her bra strings.

A couple days later, Yusei came over to Akiza's house. It was luckily a hot one for their annual event. After a hug and kiss greeting, Akiza led him towards the backyard. "You can change in the bathroom downstairs," Akiza offered, but Yusei shook his head. "I have them on underneath," he replied, "So I'll just wait for you outside." Akiza nodded, as she still had yet to change. As Yusei waited for Akiza, once removing his shirt and pants, he remembered what he wanted to ask Akiza about earlier.

"She might be in serious back pain," Yusei said as he stood on the patio, "Now would be a great time to ask her if she's having any problems." Inside, Akiza was putting on the sun block similar as to how she did a few days earlier. She could have just had Yusei offer to rub it on her back, but Akiza could tell that Yusei got nervous whenever he saw her in such little clothing. Akiza always got a kick out of seeing a nervous and shy Yusei, which made her enjoy these very rare moments even more. She scraped the lotion on her back, before feeling a bump right in line with her bra strings. She closed her eyes and tried to itch it. "Dang it! I must have gotten this bite a few days ago." She could barely reach it, but managed to brush it and get some sweet relief. "I'll just have to try not to scratch it," Akiza reminded herself.

As Yusei thought about a way to ask Akiza if her chest was causing her back pain, the glass door slid open. "Like what you see?" Akiza asked as Yusei got a good look at her. His face turned the usual red shade as Akiza held her hands behind her back. She smiled sweetly at him, letting only his eyes see her in her swimsuit. "You look amazing as ever," Yusei commented as Akiza walked up to him. She put her hands on his lean chest and smiled. "You look as sexy as ever," Akiza replied and Yusei scratched the back of his head, embarrassed by the comment. Akiza giggled to herself, before suddenly cringing and holding her upper back. Yusei instantly took notice.

"Akiza are you all right?" he asked. Akiza managed to brush her upper suit strings against the bite and sighed once she did. Still, Yusei asked her, "Are you okay?" Akiza nodded. "Yep. Just a little itch," she replied with a smile. Yusei had a tough time believing her. "O...kay," he replied slowly, still a little skeptical. Yusei looked away for a moment. 'That look like it was a lot more than _just a little itch,'_ Yusei thought to himself, 'Is Akiza trying to hide the fact that her chest is causing her pain?' Yusei quickly sneaked a peak at her chest, but quickly looked away again, not wanting to be caught by Akiza.

"Yusei?" Akiza asked as a question, "Do you want to jump in?" Yusei nodded. "All right," he replied and they each replaced their glasses with goggles. Soon, they quickly headed for the pool hand in hand. Yusei caught Akiza smiling at him, which put his mind a little bit at ease. They jumped in and swam around a little bit, so that their bodies could get used to the water's temperature. Once they did so, Yusei went up to Akiza, who was leaning against a side of the pool. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you," he said sweetly to her. "I love you too," Akiza replied and gave him a kiss right back. Yusei carefully put his arms around Akiza's middle, trying to keep himself from reaching second base and from being too low. "So what do you wanna do?" Yusei asked. Akiza shrugged. "How about we race each other?" Yusei agreed and the two smiled at one another.

Instantly, Akiza closed her eyes and reached for her back. Yusei put his hands on her shoulders. "Akiza what's wrong?" Akiza again managed to brush the bite with the strings. "It's all right now Yusei. Everything's good." Yusei still was worried. "Are you sure?" he asked firmly. Akiza then looked up at him. "Yes," she replied, a little scared at how Yusei had fired back at her. Yusei saw the fear in her eyes and gently wrapped her in a hug, keeping a close eye on where his arms and hands were. "Akiza," he started in a much smoother and gentile tone, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm just concerned about you. I don't want you to be in any sort of pain. If there's anything wrong, you can tell me. No matter what." Akiza figured that a bug bite on her back was nothing to be worried about. "Nothing's wrong Yusei. I'm all right." Yusei tilted his head. "You positive?" This question was a lot softer and gentile than his last. She nodded. "I'm sure." Yusei smiled. "Good," he replied and the two shared a kiss.

"Tag! You're it!" Akiza said out of the blue and escaped from Yusei's grasp. She laughed as Yusei chased after her. They followed their game until they were all tired out. They then walked out of the pool together, holding each other's hands to prevent from slipping. They also got a good view of the other's soaking wet body. They completely dried off, put their glasses back on, and then snapped a few photos, both for a reminder of the other and of course _other reasons._

_"_Would it be all right if we just laid out in the sun for a little while?" Akiza asked and Yusei complied. They each sat down on a long beach chair and relaxed. The warm sun on them was nice and they snuck a few peaks at each other. "Akiza. Why do you keep staring at me?" Yusei asked in a non-serious matter. Akiza leaned up. "What are you talking about? You're..." Akiza didn't finish her sentence. The chair had rubbed against the bug bite and Akiza desperately reached for the middle of her back. "Akiza!" Yusei said in a loud tone. He got up and put his arms on Akiza's shoulders. "Akiza! Please if your in a lot of pain, please tell me what's wrong!" She managed to reach the bite, but she also saw the worry and concern in Yusei's eyes. Akiza decided that telling him she had a bug bite was the right thing to do.

"Don't worry Yusei. It's just a mosquito bite. It's nothing to worry about." Yusei's worried face became surprised. "A mosquito bite? Where is it?" Akiza lifted up her hand and pointed down. "It's on my back."

"Oh. Well then can I see it?" Yusei asked. "All right, but I'll have to unhook my bra." Yusei gasped. "Uh...never mind. I don't need to see it." Akiza tried to reassure him. "Don't worry Yusei. I'll lay on my stomach and you won't see anything that you haven't seen before." Yusei shook his head. "No way! I don't want to make it awkward! I believe you!" Akiza still wanted to give Yusei peace of mind. "Yusei. Don't worry. Besides, I'd like you to check it, to make sure that it's nothing serious." Yusei really wanted to make sure she was okay. "All right, but how can we do it?" Akiza smiled.

"Just lift up the string." Yusei shook his head. "No way! Plus, what if I pull too hard and it hurts your chest?" Akiza shrugged. "It's only for a few moments Yusei. Don't worry." She turned around and laid on her stomach. "Just pull." Yusei stood there and his face firmed up. "No Akiza. I can't. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want something bad to happen or me seeing something that I'm not suppose to." Akiza leaned up and turned around. "Well, that's very sweet of you," she replied and gave him a kiss, "I'll do it myself. How about that?" Yusei nodded and found that to be an excellent idea. Akiza laid back down and pulled on the string. "What do you see?"

"It's a normal mosquito bite all right," Yusei replied and Akiza let the string fall down. "That's good," Akiza replied and turned around, "But you thought I was in a lot of pain. What did you think was wrong with me?" Yusei felt himself sweat and it wasn't from the heat. "I...uh...well..." Akiza folded her arms, but didn't look upset. "What is it Yusei? You can tell me." Yusei didn't know how to say it. "I just thought you might be in pain because of your..." He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he made a cupping motion with his hands and had a nervous look on his face. Akiza watched and understood. "Oh. You thought my big breasts were causing me pain?" Yusei closed his eyes and nodded, waiting for Akiza to start yelling at her. But...she didn't. He opened his eyes and Akiza gave him a quick, loose hug. "That's so thoughtful of you Yusei, but I think I'll need to explain what happened." Yusei sat down. "Okay. I'm ready."

Akiza stood up and Yusei looked up. He couldn't see Akiza's face, as it was blocked by her chest. "I'll tell you once we get changed and showered. Come on. Lets go inside." Yusei was confused as to why Akiza wanted to wait, so he asked why. Akiza admitted that she wanted to get her thoughts in order and Yusei understood. They showered and changed into their normal clothes, before sitting on the couch and facing one another.

"First off, I'll tell you about when I started getting...breasts," Akiza said as Yusei felt a little awkward. Akiza put a hand on his shoulder, for some reassurance. "Don't worry Yusei. I'll try not to make it super awkward." Yusei breathed a sigh of relief and Akiza continued.

"I first noticed them when I was 8 years old, which is the earliest that a woman starts developing them. My parents took notice too."

_Flashback_

A little Akiza runs up to her mom and dad. It was one of the few times that both of her parents were home at the same time. As much as Akiza was afraid of her parents, this was something new and scary to her, and she didn't care how bad they were to her. If something was wrong, she had no one else to ask.

"Mommy! Daddy! Something weird is happening to me!" Her parents turn to her. "Akiza! What is it? Are your powers acting up again?" Little Akiza shook her head. "No! My chest is weird! There are two lumps in it!" Akiza's mother gasped. "Here. Lets go to the bathroom and mommy will check it out." Even Akiza's father, who was so scared of her, became worried.

Later, Akiza's mother came out of the bathroom. "Run along Akiza," her mother said in a happy tone. Akiza's relationship was a million times better with her mother than her father. Akiza's father ignored Akiza's powers for a moment. "How is she? Is there anything else wrong with her?" Akiza mother shook her head. "She's just developing breasts," his wife replied. The senator was puzzled. "Isn't she a little young for that?" Akiza mother had researched about a growing woman and shook her head. "It's much earlier than a normal girl, but it's not extremely uncommon. Besides, girls develop earlier than men. I'm sure everyone will catch up and she'll be fine."

Months later...

Akiza's father was returning from a long meeting and his wife was at the door to meet him. They shared a brief moment of affection, before watching as Akiza ran by in a red dress. What stuck out the most, in the politician's mind, was the two lumps sticking out of her chest. "Isn't her chest rather large for her age?" he asked. His wife looked up at him. "The doctor says there's nothing wrong with her, _besides you know what."_ The senator understood as she continued. "She thinks that she's just developing really early. I didn't develop as early as her, but he thinks that she might just have a large chest like me." Akiza's father chuckled. "I know about that." They laughed quietly to themselves. "I'm sure they'll stop growing soon," Mr. Izinski added.

_Flashback Ends_

"But they didn't stop," Akiza continued, "They just kept getting bigger and bigger. I tried to keep them as small as I could, but they just kept growing. It was bad enough that kids made fun of me for my powers, but my chest only added to the teasing. I guess my breasts made me feel even more like an outsider. By the time I was 10, I couldn't see my feet anymore and I already had to get adult sized bras. It's kind of embarrassing that you're wearing an adult size bra while some kids are just getting their first. When I got to the 6th grade, I started getting them custom fitted. My parents, as fearful of my powers as they were, wanted to make sure that I didn't get back pain like you suggested Yusei. Plus, I never want my chest bouncing around, even when I was little. I might have a large chest, but that didn't mean I was going to have it bounce around like some cartoon character. Anyways, we went to a doctor and got help on what to look for in a bra. We then contacted a good brand about making one. It cost more obviously, but if it meant no pain and keeping my chest in place, it was well worth the money. We ordered them, they fit, and were comfortable. We had to replace them now and again. Sometimes for being worn out, but most of the time my chest was simply too big for them and they would break."

"What happened after that?" Yusei asked, "And what happened when you were with the Arcadia Movement?" Akiza nodded and continued. "Well, the bra I had when I ran away from home luckily held up until I Sayer found me. When I was there, at first, he understood when I said I needed new bras. But my chest kept getting bigger and I became more and more worried whenever I needed to order a new one. There was one time in particular that I remember."

_Flashback_

Akiza was walking with a bra that had broken. It felt like it was the millionth time that Akiza had to ask for a new bra. She went up to Sayer in his office and a couple of security men were there. "Akiza. How nice to see you." Akiza was thankful for Sayer's help, but she always felt a little uncomfortable around him, especially with the way he was so secretive. "My bra broke and I need to order a new one." Sayer sighed. "Again Akiza? You seem to need a new one as soon as you get them." Akiza looked down. "I'm sorry, but I just want to make sure I have a few of them, in case they all break at once. Besides, bras are a big deal to women." Sayer got up from his desk and put a hand on her shoulder. "I understand. It's a female thing and I'll be sure to get an order in." Akiza kept a firm face as he took off his hand. "Thank you Sayer. I'll leave now." Akiza headed for the door, but the door didn't automatically close. Before Akiza could go back to completely shut it, she heard the people inside talking.

"We'd better make a note about the next time we try to get some more psychics in here," Sayer said aloud, "And make sure to keep this on the recruiting qualifications." Akiza heard some footsteps. "Yes sir. We're all ears."

"Next time we find a powerful psychic, make sure that they don't have a chest as large as a freaking truck and never stops growing!" Akiza looked down as Sayer sounded furious. What Sayer said was mean, but at the same time was the truth. Akiza's chest didn't stop growing and it was extremely large. Akiza walked away, a little disheartened by Sayer's words, but what he said was true.

_End Flashback_

Yusei put his arms around Akiza. "Don't worry Akiza. I don't think that about you or your chest." Akiza smiled. "Don't worry Yusei. I know you have never thought about me like that. Plus, I've gotten over Sayer and his evil ways." They wrapped each other in a hug and stayed silent for a few moments. Akiza then continued. "So, my bras and Sayer's patience managed to hold up until you came into my life Yusei. My parents have been more than happy to help me and my chest ever since." Yusei smiled. "That's good, but how did you know about what your parents said when you were a kid?"

"My mom and I talked when we got new clothes one time. We examined the bras that were much too small for me. One thing lead to another and she told me what happened. It's amazing the things that happen when you were little that can have a whole new meaning when you're older." Yusei agreed. "I guess, in conclusion, your worrying about my chest was very thoughtful Yusei, but you don't have to worry anymore. I have always had someone to buy custom fitted bras for me and to make sure that I don't get back pain, even the doctors at the Arcadia Movement. They were not as evil as Sayer was and made sure that the bras worked and I was healthy. All of that has continued into today. I will admit that it is tough to find clothes that are modest, especially since most have trouble fitting my chest inside. Even my Victorian outfit, which I'm wearing right now, is stretched to the maximum to keep from showing my chest."

Yusei blushed as her Victorian outfit was really stretched out. Then again, what was the last outfit that Akiza wore that wasn't being stretched out by her chest? Yusei just gulped and nodded, trying to keep his eyes on Akiza's face. "Well. I'm glad to know your safe and that you aren't in any pain." Akiza and him smiled at one another before giving each other a kiss.

"You know, this was also suppose to be our little get together that we normally have when I come back," Akiza said softly to Yusei, "Do you want to make out?" Yusei nodded and became excited in more ways than one. He leaned back first onto the couch and the two of them started to kiss passionately. When they were done, the two of them cuddled on the couch. "How was it Akiza? Were you in any pain?" Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei. How about yourself?" Yusei shook his head. "No pain like always." Akiza closed her eyes. "Good." She hugged him and Yusei felt her chest press up against him. Even now, Yusei got nervous and would have troubling breathing whenever Akiza's chest was against him. Still, Yusei looked at Akiza, who was leaning on his left shoulder. He closed his eyes, just like her, and rested his head against hers. If Akiza was proud of her chest, than he was too.

**A/N: Apologizes if this Chapter was awkward.**

**Thanks for the reviews and views!  
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	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31!  
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**Reviewers time!  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: Yusei, being the gentleman that he is, doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would take advantage of Akiza. This will actually come up later on.  
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**KaiFudo16: It probably was a little awkward, but at least he learned some important things about Akiza.  
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**drytacos: If you get a account, you will be able to get alerts on this story and every time I update! (With school starting, getting out such large Chapters is going to be hard, but I'll do my best!)  
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****tom . zhu. 509**: Hope I can help raise it back up to 99.99%!  
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**Here's the next Chapter!  
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A couple days after they came back, Luna invited Dexter over to the Tops. With Leo Turbo Dueling more often, Luna wanted someone to talk to and there were not many options. Yusei was "working" or with Akiza a lot, so the only real answer was Dexter. He spent a lot of time by himself and that made Luna feel bad. Not only did Luna want to give him some companionship, but she was still curious if Dexter thought she was cute or not. It wasn't that Luna was self-conscious about herself, as many guys in London had their eyes on her. Luna didn't have a crush on him either, as they were still just friends. But there was something that Luna enjoyed with having both the trust of a very good friend and being able to wear special outfits that were just for their eyes only. It made the time with just Dexter and herself special and it was something fun to do, even if only Luna knew about it.

When Dexter came over, he had flowers as Luna requested. When Luna opened the door, she had on a red, spaghetti strapped shirt and tight white short shorts. Before Dexter could even say "hi", he noticed Luna's attire, and felt a little shy. "H...here you go Luna," Dexter replied in a stutter, as he handed the flowers to Luna. "Thanks Dexter," Luna replied as she took them, "Come on in."

Luna invited Dexter to sit at the kitchen table. "I was just going to make lunch. Do you want something?" Dexter thought for a moment. "Uh...sure," he replied and Luna smiled. "Okay. I'll make us some grilled cheese." Dexter stood up. "Do you need any help?" Luna shook her head. "No thanks. You can sit tight Dexter. I've got it." Dexter took a seat and watched as Luna made him and herself sandwich. Luna kept looking back at Dexter every now and again, wondering if he was checking her out. At first, Dexter looked at her, half watching her cook and half looking at her long, lean body. He caught Luna looking at him, so he decided that he must be doing something wrong. He decided to look down at the table until Luna was finished. After a few minutes, Luna set the sandwiches down on the table. She then got a bag of chips and a glass of milk for each of them.

"If you want, there are some apples in that bowl over there," Luna said as she pointed to a bowl on the counter. They said grace and started eating. "So are you going to go on a vacation this summer?" Dexter asked. Luna shook her head. "With Leo Turbo Dueling, we're just going stay put," Luna replied, "We could afford to go out somewhere, but that's okay." Dexter felt bad. "I'm sorry you can't go anywhere Luna. You deserve to go out, now that Leo and you are older." Luna nodded. "That's true, but look on the bright side. Leo gets to Turbo Duel and I can have more time with you." Dexter nodded, but he wondered what Luna meant by her last sentence.

"You want to spend more time with me?" Dexter repeated. "Of course," Luna replied with joy in her voice, "You get to spend some time with Yusei, but for the most part Dexter, you're all alone. That really makes me feel bad, especially since you're such a nice guy. I know you're a really shy guy Dexter and I know that it's hard for you to make friends. But I want you to know that you do have friends and people that care about you. One of those people is me." Dexter blushed. "Well, it means a lot that you care about me Luna. I'm..." He stood up and put a hand on her wide shoulders. "I'm really thankful that you were there for me over these past few years." Luna put a responding hand on his shoulder. "You're welcome Dexter." The two smiled for a moment and Dexter sat back down. They ate and Luna asked him what he did over the school year. They had kept in touch, but Dexter managed to remember a few things he forgot about.

"I get to play with Yusei online," Dexter replied, "It's amazing just how competitive our games get at some points." Luna nodded. "I know that Yusei said he really enjoyed playing with you Dexter. He's really enjoyed playing the sports games and he's thankful that you helped him out. It gives him something to do, until Akiza comes back from school." Dexter smiled. "I'm really thankful to hear that. Yusei's been a really good friend and I'm thankful that he takes time out of his schedule for me. The same goes for you Luna." She smiled. "Of course Dexter." The two finished eating and they each had an apple from the bowl on the counter. After eating, Luna wanted Dexter to sit and watch TV with her. They each sat on the couch and Luna had the remote.

"Here Dexter. You decide what we'll watch." Dexter took the remote, but looked a little sad. "But what about you? I don't want to pick something that you won't enjoy." Luna opened her mouth very slightly to both smile and sigh quietly to herself. Dexter was being so thoughtful, even when it came to something so small. "I don't mind Dexter. Pick whatever show you want. I don't mind." Dexter's eyebrows lowered a little bit and he started clicking through channels. There were a couple of shows that he would watch if he was alone, but he refrained from selecting them. Instead, he found a talking celebrity show, that was a popular one around the country.

"Why did you pick this show?" Luna asked, "Do you like to follow celebrities?" Dexter shook his head. "No. I know this one likes to poke fun at them, but I also thought it might be something that you would enjoy." Luna frowned, but her face showed sympathy for Dexter. "You didn't have to do that," Luna reminded him. "I know, but I just wanted to find something that we both might enjoy." Luna thanked him for it and they watched the show. They both got some good laughs out of it and it was nice to find out, even though Dexter's choice wasn't his favorite, they did get some entertainment out of it.

When they were done watching, Luna stood up. She stood right in front of Dexter, letting him get a good look at her legs. "Do you need anything to drink?" Luna asked, "Would water be okay?" Dexter nodded and Luna went over to kitchen. Unlike the last time he was over, Dexter paid attention to the TV rather than her. Luna looked over her shoulder and didn't see Dexter gawking over her. 'I'll try again later,' Luna thought to herself.

Once she got the water, she set them on the end table next to the couch. She then sat down with Dexter, as another show started. "Do you need anything else?" Luna asked. "No. I'm good," Dexter replied. They watched the show and once it was over, Luna stood up. Again, she stood up right next to him, trying to give him a good look at her lower body. "Do you want me to get a movie to watch?" Luna asked. Dexter shrugged. "Sure." To keep Dexter's interest on her, Luna continued talking.

"What kind of movie do you want to watch?" Luna questioned. She swayed her hips a little and walked in a way that she wouldn't normally do. She walked slowly and Dexter saw her use her legs to make long strides. He became fixated on her body, which was Luna's goal. "I know not to watch westerns or horror movies," Luna continued, "So a comedy sounds good?" She looked over your shoulder and saw Dexter's face. He was tinted red and he had to swallow to keep drool from dripping out of his mouth. Luna smiled as she stood still. "Does that sound good Dexter?"

"Hmm. What?" Dexter asked and Luna chuckled softly. "Does a comedy sound good?" Dexter nodded and he looked down shyly. Luna turned around and swayed her hips a couple more times, before getting to the pile of movies. She picked one out and walked back, without the special movements. She came to a stop right in front of Dexter. "I think you'll enjoy this one," Luna replied and showed him the movie. Dexter agreed and soon the movie started. Luna put her arm on the back of the couch and Dexter scooted closer to her. It wasn't as close as Yusei and Akiza would get by far and it was still a comfortable distance away.

Luna smiled as she looked over at him. Seeing Dexter checking her out made her happy. He wasn't a very social guy, but Luna could tell what he was thinking with the way he looked at her. His shy expression after he realized she caught him was one of her favorites. Still, she wanted him to know that it was okay for him to look at her like that and she didn't mind. The trust she had with him was strong and she knew that he wouldn't do something to hurt her. Luna hoped she could tease him one more time before Dexter left. She waited until about a half hour into the movie. Dexter had gotten up and gone to the bathroom once. Luna decided that she would also.

She got up and walked normally. She looked over and saw that Dexter wasn't watching her walk. Dexter suddenly turned to her. "Is something wrong?" Dexter asked. "No. Nothing's wrong," Luna replied. She then continued walking until she went to the bathroom. 'He didn't notice me,' Luna thought to herself. After relieving herself, she went back and sat back down. "Do you want me to catch you up on what happened?" Dexter asked. Luna shook her head, but thanked Dexter for being thoughtful yet again. As the movie went towards an hour in and then a little longer, Luna suggested they have some popcorn.

"That sounds really good," Dexter replied and Luna stood up. She added some sway to walk and Dexter took notice. Luna decided to add something extra this time and when she turned around, she gave him a quick wink. Dexter gasped and Luna kept walking. She had a bright look on her face. 'Oh my gosh that was so cool!' Luna thought, 'I should definitely do that more often! The look on his face was great!' Dexter put a hand to his head and wasn't nearly as happy. He was shy, nervous, and confused all at once. "What was that?" Dexter muttered to himself, "Is Luna feeling okay?" He watched Luna put the popcorn in the microwave. "The more Luna does that, the more nervous I get. Maybe she's just being funny," Dexter said to himself, "After all, why would she hit on a guy like me?"

Luna brought some popcorn over, but Dexter refrained from saying anything. He felt awkward and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Once the movie was over, Dexter was the one to get up. "I'd better go home for dinner," he announced quickly. Luna noticed the nervousness in his voice and got up too. She was still at least a head taller than him and Dexter had to look up at her. "Thanks for everything Luna! It was great spending time with you." Luna nodded as Dexter opened the door and stood in the doorway. "Of course Dexter. Feel free to come over whenever you want." Dexter nodded. "Thanks again Luna! I'll see you soon." He jogged into the hallway and the two of them waved at one another. Dexter and Luna turned around at about the same time, as Luna shut the door.

When Leo came back from dueling practice later that night, Luna was there to greet her twin brother. Luna had made enough dinner for the two of them, but ate well before Leo came home. As Leo ate, Luna sat and talked with her brother. "So what did you do today while I was gone?" Leo asked.

"I spent the day with Dexter," Luna replied, "We watched a movie, ate lunch, ate some popcorn..." Leo's ears perked up. "Popcorn! Aw man! I should make some of that tonight!" Luna rolled her eyes at hearing her brother wanting food, even while he was eating. "Did you do anything else?" Leo asked.

Luna thought for a moment. Leo knew Dexter better than she did. With the way Dexter had gotten all shy and nervous today and the time before, Luna was curious. What did Dexter really think of her? It was easy to tell that he found her physically attractive, but did Dexter enjoy spending time with her? He seemed a little nervous around her, especially towards the end of the movie. Then again, Luna always noticed that Dexter felt shy around girls in general, even when they went to school together. Had that shyness gotten more intense or has he started feeling more comfortable around girls? Luna had so many questions, but if she asked them, then it might make it sound as though she was trying to ask Dexter to be her girlfriend. To avoid the confusion, Luna looked at her brother.

"Hey Leo. Do you think you could do something for me?" Leo looked up at her. "Sure thing sis. What is it?" Luna looked down at the table. "I was wondering if you could talk to Dexter for me." Leo didn't understand. "Why do I have to? Can't you talk to him yourself?" Luna shook her head. "I want you to find out what Dexter thinks of me. It's complicated." Leo thought he knew what she meant.

"Luna, do you want to ask Dexter out?" Luna shook her head. "No. It's not that," she replied, "It's just that Dexter seemed really shy and nervous around me today. So I was thinking, since you are closer to him than I am, you could find out why." Leo was quite for a moment, still believing his sister was falling for Dexter. "You're in denial," Leo replied, "You like Dexter and you know it." Luna shook her head. "I do not! I just want to help him be comfortable around women," Luna firmly replied, "If he's nervous around me, then what will he do when he has to work with them?"

"Maybe the reason he was so nervous is because of your height," Leo noted, "After all, how often do you find a woman that's over 6 feet tall?" Luna frowned. "I really don't think my height has anything to do with it especially since you're about as tall as me and he doesn't get nervous around you. I just think that Dexter's uncomfortable around women. Plus, this is an important part of a person's life and you have a lot of emotions that you don't understand. Just talk to him Leo and see of there's anything I can do to make him feel more comfortable." Leo knew that his sister meant well, but he still didn't quite understand why she couldn't just ask him herself. "All right I'll do it," Leo replied as he got up and put his dishes into the sink. Luna came up to him, once he was finished.

"Thanks Leo! You're the best!" Leo smiled. "Hey! Maybe some day people will say that about my Turbo Dueling skills." The siblings got a good laugh out Leo's comment.

A few days later, Leo invited Dexter out for ice cream. He insisted that the treat was on him and Dexter didn't have to pay a single penny. Once they ordered, Leo and Dexter sat at a table outside. It was a bright sunny day and was perfect weather for ice cream. Leo happily licked his cone as Dexter dove into a banana split. "So Luna told me you were a little nervous around her the other day." Dexter bit his lip. So Luna had told Leo about what happened? Leo licked his cone.

"She thinks you're a little shy around her and women in general," Leo continued, "Is there a reason?" Dexter blushed. So Luna had told Leo about all those times Luna caught him checking her out? Dexter felt as though he should admit to, what he thought, was obvious. Despite that fact, Dexter felt a little nervous. Leo was very protective of his sister and he worried about how he would react. He spoke one long, slow sentence as he looked down at the table.

"Leo...I...I think...that you're sister's...very...beautiful." Dexter closed his eyes. "You think that?" Leo asked. Dexter opened his eyes and looked in Leo's direction. He nodded slowly and shyly. "I hope you're not upset Leo." Leo smiled. "Why should I be upset? You find my sister attractive! It's not a big deal to admit." Dexter didn't feel the same way. "I just worried that you wouldn't want a guy like me checking out your sister." Leo put a hand on his shoulder.

"Dexter. You've been my friend for years. I can trust you. If you were some creep on the street, then I could see. But I know you Dexter. You wouldn't do something to hurt Luna. The fact that you find her attractive doesn't bother me at all." He took another lick of his cone, so it wouldn't get on his hand. "Is there anything else you like about her?" Dexter nodded. "She's such a sweet and fun person to be around. She has a really nice smile and she cares a lot about me. What she did when I was being bullied was amazing. She encouraged and stood up for me. That was really cool." Leo nodded. "I noticed that too," Leo commented, "She really cares about you Dexter." Dexter looked surprised. "She does?" Leo nodded again.

"I think she really feels bad about how you've been treated and sort of targeted since we left for London. You seem like a guy who's easy to pick on and Luna wants to be there to stick up for you. To be honest, I think she learned that from Yusei and Akiza. Seeing you get picked on really upsets her and she wants to see you happy. She knows the kind and gentle side of you Dexter, because we've been friends for so long." Dexter smiled. "Well, she really means a lot to me as well. I mean, like you said Leo, she always wants to help me out and she is really concerned about me. When I come over, she doesn't want me to have to do anything work. She just wants me to sit down and relax. It really amazes me. She could just leave me alone and not care about me being an ocean away. But...she doesn't do that. Instead, she checks in on me, makes sure I'm doing all right, and really wants me to be happy. I..." Dexter knew what he was about to say was bold, but it's truly how he felt. "I wish I could find someone out there, who cares about me as much as Luna does." Leo had finished his cone, but had paid attention to every word Dexter said.

"If you really feel that way, why don't you tell her?" Dexter looked at Leo. "You wouldn't mind?" Leo shook his head. "If you feel this strongly about her, then tell her how you feel about her." Dexter suddenly got nervous. He shook his head and he tried to have his bangs cover his eyes. "I can't. There's no way a girl like Luna would want to be with a guy like me. She deserves someone better." Leo frowned. "That's not true Dexter. She thinks you're a nice and considerate guy." Dexter didn't care. "Any guy could do that, but Luna's a tall, beautiful young woman. She deserves happiness and I don't think she would be happy being with a guy like me." Leo's eyes saddened. Dexter was a pessimist, but it was really starting to come out the more they talked. "Well if Luna's too good for you, and you like her so much, then what will happen to you?" Dexter finished his split and stood up. He still tried to get his bangs to cover his eyes.

"I don't know," he replied, "She'll end up with someone who's taller and can make her happy. For me, I wish I could do the same. But a lot of the time, I think that I wouldn't be good enough for any woman. I'm a weak, little nerd who a girl would never want to date. Sometimes, I think that I'll end up spending my life all alone, with no one to talk to." He turned around and started walking, to throw the container away. Leo's eyes softened. "Dexter," he said softly to himself.

The walk home was very quite. Leo held his hands behind his head as Dexter looked on. He thanked Leo for the treat when they stopped in font of the Tops. "Will you promise not to tell Luna what I said about her?" Leo nodded. "Sure thing Dexter." Leo and him said goodbye and they went their separate ways. When Leo got to the apartment, Luna wanted to know what happened. "He thinks you're attractive," Leo commented. Luna giggled. "That was obvious. What else did he say?" she asked excitedly. Leo thought only for a moment. "That's only for me to know," he replied. "Please Leo! Tell me!" Leo shook his head. "That's only between Dexter and me." He walked away and Luna became more determined than ever to find out what Dexter thought of her.

Over the next few weeks, Luna invited Dexter to come over every time she was alone. He came over only one time and it was due to it being extremely hot outside. While the two of them swam and took a few pictures together, it was over in about an hour. Luna noticed that Dexter was more nervous around her than ever and it wasn't just caused by her swimsuit choice. With that in mind, she started inviting him to come along with Leo and herself, to different places, over the following few weeks. If he was nervous around being alone with women, maybe having Leo along would be a more gradual step. She invited him to places he liked and wanted to go: bowling, mini golf, even a fancy restaurant. "Come Dexter! You said that you love this place and never get to go," Luna commented over the phone. Dexter sighed. "I really don't feel like it," he replied, "So no." Luna groaned. "Okay. Leo and I are going to go. Last chance." Dexter repeated no again and Luna shrugged. "Okay. See you soon Dexter." She hung up. "That's the third time Dexter's said 'no' to going out with us!" Luna huffed as she got her purse. Leo shrugged. "That's just the way Dexter is," he replied, "Don't let it bug you too much sis. Lets just go and have a good time."

Luna and Leo walked to the fancy restaurant. They had to wait a while until they got their seat, but they knew it was worth it. Once they were seated, they enjoyed their soup and salad, before being served their entrees. Luna sadly twirled her pasta on her fork. Leo noticed her depressed expression and asked what was up. "I wish Dexter was here," Luna replied sadly. Leo tried to cheer her up. "That's just the way Dexter is," he replied, "He never has really been a guy to go out and be social. It's hard for him to change up his style. Heck, he's had the same glasses since we met Yusei." Luna still frowned as she forced her food into her mouth. "Don't worry sis. This is the way Dexter is." He picked up a piece of pasta. "Here look at this," he replied as he wiped some remaining sauce off of it. "Dexter is like my ravioli. See? He has a firm outer layer. But.." Leo then cut into it with his fork and cheese came spilling out of it. "Once you break into him, he's a soft, gentle guy. All you have to do is get him comfortable with something new and then he'll want to do it again and again." Luna thought about it as she ate. Just before they got the bill, Luna figured something out.

"Leo! You're a genius," Luna cried as she put her hands on his shoulders. "What are you talking about?" Leo asked. Luna had a plan. "If Dexter won't come to me, then I'll come to him."

A few nights later, Dexter's doorbell rang. He got up from playing his video game and opened the door. In the doorway, stood a tall young woman. "Luna!? What are you doing here?" Luna smiled at him. "I just thought I'd come over to hang out." She took a step inside his apartment. "What were you doing?" Dexter shut the door. "Oh. I was just playing a video game," Dexter replied, "It's fine. I'll turn it off." Luna ran over to him, before he shut the system off. "No! Don't stop!" Dexter gave her a puzzled look. "Keep playing. I'll watch."

"But what fun is that for you?" Luna smiled at his thoughtfulness. "I've seen Leo do it before. Besides, it's not a problem if I watch. Is it?" Dexter shook his head, but replied back slowly. "No. I guess not." He took a seat. "Here. You can sit next to me." Luna sat down and gave him a smile. Dexter continued playing as Luna sat back and watched. In her mind, Luna hoped that Dexter would win. Dexter played an online game, to show her what it was like. When he was done, Luna got up. "That was really fun Dexter. You wouldn't mind if I came over again would you?" Dexter stuttered when he talked. "No...Of course not." Luna smiled. He seemed a little nervous, but it wasn't nearly as bad as a few weeks before. "Great! I'll come back soon!" Luna headed for the door. Before she made it, she looked over her shoulder and Dexter looked away shyly. Luna smiled after she turned around and let herself leave.

Luna came over a few more times over the next couple of weeks. Each time, Dexter offered to stop playing and they could do something else, but Luna told him that wasn't necessary. In fact, she encouraged it, especially since Dexter didn't seem as nervous around her when he was playing. Still, Dexter felt guilty playing while Luna could only sit and watch. Finally, a few days before the twins and Akiza left, Luna got an idea. Dexter was playing the American version of football on his video game system, when Luna asked a question.

"Doesn't Yusei have this same system?" Dexter nodded. "Uh huh. He got it a while back and I shopped for it with him. I think he even has this game too." Luna smiled. "If that's true. then why don't you play with him right now?" Dexter paused the game and looked at her. "He's probably off doing something with Akiza right now. Besides, there's no guarantee that he's home right now." Luna grabbed her phone anyways and then dialed a number.

Yusei and Akiza were only a few blocks, unknown to Dexter, at Yusei's apartment. They were cuddling on the couch. "My little Akiza," Yusei said sweetly to his girlfriend. "My little Yusei," Akiza answered back. The two of them kissed one another and held each other in their arms. Yusei's phone rang and he picked it up to answer. "Hello?" Yusei asked.

"Hey Yusei. It's Luna. Are you at your apartment?" Yusei told her he was and he was with Akiza. "Well, Dexter and I were thinking that you could challenge Dexter to an online game of football." Akiza asked what it was and Yusei told her what Luna had said. "Why do you want to do that?" he asked. Luna got a cunning smile."Well, seeing as how good Dexter is, I wanted to see just how good you are at it." Yusei grew a smile as he could tell this was some sort of competition. "Well. I'd like to show you just how good I am, just as long as it's all right with Akiza." He turned Akiza who smiled and said it was okay. She had never seen Yusei play before, so she was curious as to how good Yusei was too. Luna spoke over the telephone. "Well. Do you want to start? Dexter's online right now."

"Game on!" Yusei said and he quickly turned on his system.

Yusei and Dexter each put on microphones, so they could talk back and forth. The two were already competitive before the first play. They had both picked the local team. "You can't both be the same team," Luna said over her cell phone, "That would make it boring." Akiza was on the other end, so both women could talk back and forth. She relayed the information and Yusei then picked a different team. "You can't do that! They're way better than mine," Dexter replied and selected a different one. The two then went back and forth, before finally picking a team to play as. The game soon started and the two of them were very competitive. The two girls got a kick out of seeing them get so fired up over a little video game.

"Go! Go! Catch it! Run! No! Yes!" they both shouted through out the game. Akiza and Luna laughed and laughed as they played and talked about it over the phone. The first game had Yusei win by a decent margin. The second game was much more tight and competitive. So competitive in fact, that Akiza and Luna teased each other about it. "You should say that to Yusei," Luna whispered over the phone. "You should do the same to Dexter," Akiza replied. Both girls covered their phones.

"Hey Yusei. I'm just going to strip down to my bra and panties," Akiza said aloud, "Would that be okay with you?" Luna repeated the same line, only about herself, to Dexter. The two gentlemen remained silent and were far into the game to hear them. The girls rolled on the couch in laughter as the guys in the room didn't hear what they were saying. After a touchdown, they both saw a female rolling around on the couch. "What's so funny?" they asked. Luna and Akiza looked at them, before starting to laugh again.

"Girl stuff," Yusei replied. "Yeah. Probably something girl related," Dexter replied. The game finally ended and Dexter won. They decided to stop with a one to one tie. Afterwards, Luna went to the door with Dexter.

"That was really fun," Luna replied, "Can we do that next summer?" Dexter nodded. "Sure thing. I just hope you weren't bored out of your mind." Luna shook her head. "Not at all. I enjoyed spending time with you Dexter. Would it be all right if we spent some more time together next summer?" Dexter felt a little bit nervous, but he remembered running into Leo a few days before. Leo had told him that he had not told Luna about their conversation, so Dexter thought it would be all right. "I would really enjoy that," he replied and it made Luna smile. "Well thanks Dexter and I'll be sure to call you when Leo and I get back to London. Okay?" Dexter said he'll be waiting and they both said goodbye to one another. After Luna left Dexter shut the door.

'That was a lot of fun,' Dexter thought to himself, 'Even if I'll never be Luna's boyfriend, I guess there's no harm in spending time alone with her.' He went over and shut down his video game system, excited for the next time she'd get to come over.

**A/N: Sorry there wasn't much Yusei x Akiza in this Chapter, but I hoped you still enjoyed it.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32!  
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**A/N: Time for reviewers!  
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****Shinn Tsukishiro**: Glad you agree! I know I'm probably the only one who pairs them together, but I think they'd work really well together, especially since they're really good friends.  
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******KaiFudo16**: More in this Chapter! Hope you enjoy it.**  
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********tom . zhu. 509****: As long as you are enjoying it, I don't mind.  
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As Akiza left for Germany, now on her 5th of 8 years to earn her degree, Yusei didn't have a gift like the year before. Akiza wasn't mad at all, as she took her usual things with her. Plus, she got to spend the last night in New Domino City, as she always did, with Yusei. She smiled as he held her close and gave her seemingly endless affection. "Your smile is so beautiful," Yusei commented before planting a kiss on her cheek. Akiza gave him a kiss back and the two continued being affectionate for the rest of the night.

Still, once Akiza made it overseas, she couldn't stop thinking about Yusei. How he made her feel special and he cared about her so much. All of her childhood past and sadness were gone thanks to him. Yet, Akiza had her school problems to deal with and she couldn't keep daydreaming about Yusei. She had to focus. If she wanted to become a doctor and be able to fly back to New Domino City, she had to become a doctor as quickly as possible. She had to have one more full year of classes to go, with another two as a intern. Once that was over, she could go back to her boyfriend and hopefully land a job as a doctor in New Domino City.

For the twins, Leo and Luna were now juniors at Duel Academy and had gotten into the flow of how the school year and day works. When they arrived in London, Luna contacted Dexter as promised and told him everything was all right. When the first day of school had ended for Dexter, he arrived home, and got a video call from Luna.

"Hey Dexter! How was your first day?" Luna asked cheerfully over the phone. "Now too bad," Dexter replied, "I think a couple of my classes are going to be kind of tough though." Luna remained smiling at him. "Don't worry Dexter. I know you can do it." Dexter felt a little embarrassed. Having Luna not only smile at him, but believing in him made him wish he could find someone like her. Even with Leo's permission, Dexter knew that Luna would turn him down in a heartbeat.

The following day, Dexter came home, and was greeted again by Luna. "Hey Dexter! Glad to see you." Dexter was surprised, as Luna asked him how his day was and if anyone bullied him. Dexter replied that things were good and the bullying, while still present, was not too unbearable. "That's great!" Luna replied, "I'd hate it if something bad happened to you like a couple of years ago." Dexter agreed and they soon hung up.

Dexter was surprised as Luna contacted him the next couple of days as well. Finally, Dexter managed to ask her on Friday night what was up. "Hey Luna. You contacted me every day this week. Is there a reason why?" Luna looked upset. "No. I just want to check in and see if you're okay. Do you hate that I'm contacting you so much? I know that you normally keep to yourself." Dexter shook his head.

"Not at all. In fact, I..." He looked down shyly. "I really enjoy that you're doing this for me. But, the thing I worry about, is the time. I mean, it's 11 o'clock or close to midnight where you are and I'm worried about how much sleep you're getting." Luna smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Don't worry about it Dexter. It's not a problem at all. Leo's already in bed and, if it makes you happy, then I'm more than happy to contact you like this."

"I don't want to be a burden," Dexter replied, still feeling guilty. "You're not a burden," Luna answered back, "You're my friend and just want to do something nice for my friend." Dexter smiled and Luna was happy to see it. "Well, if that's the case, then that's really nice of you," Dexter commented, "I really have enjoyed being able to come home and talk to someone about my day. Like you, I haven't really had parents growing up, so it's nice to be able to talk to someone when I get home. Like I said before, I just don't want to be a burden on you." Luna shook her head and told him it was not a big deal. "I'll contact you everyday when you get home from school. How does that sound?" Dexter liked the idea and they said goodbye. As Dexter turned the machine off, he blushed.

'It's going to be nice getting to talk to Luna everyday,' Dexter thought, 'Too bad I could never tell her how I feel about her.'

Instead of talking about his feelings, Dexter and Luna usually talked about school or something that was in the news. Dexter felt nervous when he brought home a grade, which he did very well on. "Well...I had a math test the other day and it turns out..." He showed Luna the test. "I got an A." Luna cupped her hands and congratulated him on his effort. "You're such a good student Dexter. I think it's great to see your hard work paying off." Dexter could only shyly look away in embarrassment.

For Akiza, she was doing the best she could when it came to her classes. She felt the pressure building on her every day. One day, Akiza just felt all that pressure come down on her. It started when she got a test back. "C-?" Akiza asked and she sighed. The one class about the human body was possibly the toughest class Akiza ever had. Still, Akiza remembered Yusei's advice to just try her best. She had, but that didn't make her feel any better. On top of the test result, she got a new project that she had to do and it made Akiza feel even worse. As soon as her last class ended, she tried to get home as fast as possible.

As if her luck couldn't get any worse, she had to deal with a guy from class. Just like many other guys, he had noticed her chest being pressed up against her desk every time she leaned over to write something down. "Hey gorgeous," he said as Akiza kept an upset look on her face, "You're Akiza right?" Akiza looked at him in the corner of her eye. "Yes and I have to be somewhere right now. Okay? So leave me alone."

"Oh probably to meet someone. Say, I've never seen you with anyone else before. That means you're single right?" Akiza rolled her eyes as she had to stop at a red light, just a couple of blocks from home. "Yes I do have one," Akiza replied, "So if you're trying to get with me, I am not interested." That didn't stop the tall man with spiky light brown hair from trying. "Yeah, but he's obviously not around here. Come on. He'll never know." Luckily, Akiza was around other people, so she didn't have to worry about something happening to her. Still, she had some pepper spray as backup inside of her light jacket, as it was a cool Fall day.

"Come on now. I just wanna..." Akiza quickly ran across the street and ran towards a couple of gentlemen. She pointed to the man and told them what was happening. They both frowned and went up the guy who was bothering her. They told him to leave her alone and, if he didn't, they would call the police. Sure enough, it scared the guy off and Akiza thanked the men for their time and then quickly ran home. As she did, she could feel her feelings about the day start to come out. The new project, the guy hitting on her, and the bad test score all caused her to lean on her desk, once she was inside, and cry. Akiza _really _wanted to, no, _needed_ to talk to someone. She instantly knew Yusei would be available. She messaged him on his computer.

"I can't get to a video chat and I'm on the phone right now," he replied, "But do you want to tell me what happened?" Akiza did and Yusei told her that she did the right thing, with that guy hitting on her. He also told not to worry about the test. She did her best and that was all she could do. For the project, he told her that she would do great.

As much as Akiza appreciated the messages, she wanted to talk to someone about it using her voice. Hearing it from someone verbally was going to make her feel a lot better than over a text message. After thanking Yusei and saying that she loved him, she sat in her chair. The only problem with talking face to face was who was available? Her parents were busy with work, Jack and Crow were out dueling, and Leo and Luna were in school. Suddenly, Akiza got an idea.

"Martha!" she said with her finger in the air, "She'd give me some great advice as well as being able to talk to me." She found Martha's number and called her.

At Martha's house, Martha was sitting at the kitchen table and reading the news. When she heard the video chat ring, she got up to answer it. "That must be Jack or Crow," Martha said to herself, as they were the ones who used it most. They would tell her about their duels or their girl or boyfriends. She was surprised when she saw Akiza's number on the line. That didn't stop her from answering though. "Well hello Akiza. We haven't spoken in a while."

"I know Martha," Akiza replied, "I'm really sorry about that." Martha shook her head. "It's no problem at all," she replied, "You spent a lot of time with Yusei this summer and the two of us have never really had time to talk one on one." Martha then noticed the redness in Akiza's eyes. "Akiza, have you been crying? What's wrong?" Akiza confessed that she had in fact been crying. "Here. I'll get a chair and we can talk about what happened."

After taking a seat, Martha listened to every word that Akiza said. She admitted that the guy hitting on her was a little scary and she was nervous, as always, about her classes and doing well. As some of Akiza's tears came back, Martha told her the best medicine was not to worry about it so much. She should try to find something to take her mind off of school. "I think I have just the thing," Martha replied, "Have I ever showed you things from when Yusei was little?" Akiza shook her head. "I'll be right back," Martha responded, "I'm sure you'll get a few laughs out of it." Martha got up and Akiza waited for her. When she came from around a corner, Martha had a box full of different things.

"I know that this will help cheer you up and maybe you'll learn a few things about Yusei," Martha added as she lifted up the first item. Akiza watched as Martha showed her different things from the box and Akiza admired how cute some of them were. "You know Martha, I'm sure my parents would enjoy seeing some of these things." Martha agreed. "What if we go to your house and show them off when I get back?" Martha smiled. "Akiza. You're a genius. I can't wait to see the look on Yusei's face when I show them off in front of you and your parents." The two women laughed. "Is there anything else you want to talk about? Maybe even about Yusei?"

Akiza blushed. "Well. I just want to say that I've really enjoyed what a sweet, affectionate gentleman he is. I know that he didn't show his affectionate side for a long time, but I'm so glad that he has opened himself up. It's really nice to know that, whenever I see him, he's going to shower me with love and affection." Martha giggled. "That's the sweet and gentle Yusei I know. And I'm very proud that the girl he loves is as nice as you Akiza." Akiza thanked her for that. They then said goodbye and Akiza reminded Martha to keep the box for when she comes back.

The next time Akiza got to speak to Yusei face to face, he apologized for not being able to help her out. "I'm really sorry Akiza. Can you forgive me?" Akiza nodded her head. "Of course I can Yusei. You were busy, but just the fact that you contacted me back, in any sort of way, was good enough for me." Yusei felt bad despite her encouraging words. "Besides," Akiza noted, "I got to talk to someone else and we had a good time." Something in Yusei's mind instantly clicked.

"What? Who is this guy? Where did you meet him? Are you trying to..." Akiza cut him off. "No Yusei. It wasn't another guy. No one in this world could ever do as much for me as you have. Besides, I never said this person was a guy." Yusei's eyes widen for a moment. "Wait. So who is it then?" Akiza laughed. "I talked to a girl, you goofball. But I won't tell you who." Yusei pressed for more questions. "Wait who was..."

"Bye Yusei! I love you!" The screen suddenly went black. "It?" Yusei finished his question. He turned off the screen and was confused. "Why won't Akiza tell me who this person is?" He shrugged. "It's probably just a new friend she made."

The next time he talked with her, Akiza seemed very giggly. Yusei was telling her about his new used car and she would just start laughing for no reason. Yusei finally had enough. "So what's so funny?" he asked her. Akiza tried to control herself. "Nothing," she replied, even though her tone hinted that there was something more to her story. "Come on Akiza. What do you have to hide?" Akiza rolled her eyes. "It's nothing Yusei. Just something funny that I heard about you." Yusei didn't understand. "Who told you that?"

"No one. Anyways, I've got to get started on a paper. Talk to you later Yusei. And don't forget, I love you." Yusei smiled. "I love you too," he replied and they hung up. Yusei again leaned back into his chair. "Who could have told Akiza something about me?" He paused before his eyes grew wide. "Oh no." As soon as work was over, Yusei drove over to Martha's. He had gotten a new used car, as he finally decided to avoid having to use Martha's. It was much too cold to drive his runner and, to be honest, he hadn't used it for a very long time.

Once he got to Martha's house, she came out and they hugged. "Is this your new car?" Martha asked. "It's used," Yusei reminded her, "But it seemed like a very good deal." Martha looked over it. "Well it seems very nice. Now, why don't you go inside and I'll make you some hot apple cider." Yusei replied that sounded great. He went inside and took a seat at her table. Once the cider was done, Yusei thought it would be the perfect time to ask Martha about Akiza. She brought over two big mugs full of cider and Yusei happily took one. After taking a sip, he spoke. "Martha. Have you and Akiza been talking back and forth to one another?" Martha took her lips from her mug. "What on earth do you mean?" Martha worried that Akiza had spilled the beans, but she figured that Akiza was a very trustworthy person, especially considering the amount of faith and trust Yusei had in her.

"It's just that, when I talked to her today, she couldn't stop laughing. I know that a few days ago, when I talked to her, she said that she had talked to a woman. I know that Akiza hasn't really made friends overseas and she would certainly tell me about meeting someone new. Not to mention that, earlier today, she said that she heard something funny about me."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Martha asked. "Well...you know me better than everyone else," Yusei replied, "So I figured that you were the one who talked to Akiza. The only other people would be Akiza's parents, but I don't remember telling them anything secretive." Martha took another sip of cider, before setting it down. "Well Yusei. You got me. I have been talking with Akiza." Yusei's face lit up. "And what did you say about me?" Martha giggled, much like Akiza had earlier.

"I'm not going to tell you." Yusei's expression sank. "But I will tell you something she told me." Yusei smiled and asked what it was. "She said that she really enjoyed seeing the soft side of you Yusei and she's really happy that you have opened up to her." Yusei blushed. "Well...I enjoy giving her affection as much as she enjoys receiving it. Not to mention that she gives me tons of affection too and I love every moment of it." Martha smiled. "That really makes me smile Yusei. I'm very proud of you." Yusei looked away for a moment, before turning back to her.

"So what else did she say?" Martha got a smirk on her face. "I can't say. It's between the two of us." Yusei sighed. "But Martha! I really want to know!" Martha giggled as his tone reminded her of when he was little. "There are certain things between just me and you and there are certain things between Akiza and myself." Yusei looked down at the table. With Martha having tight lips, it might have been something really nice about him and he wanted to know what it was. Martha got up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Yusei. It's nothing bad. Okay?" Yusei nodded, but that only made him wonder even more what the two of them had talked about.

When Akiza's Birthday came, Yusei wore a Birthday hat and got a cupcake for her (more like for himself). As they talked, Akiza took notice of his Birthday hat and laughed. "What's so funny?" Yusei asked. Akiza rolled her eyes. "Oh. Nothing." Yusei's face firmed up. He hadn't bothered Akiza about what she said to Martha since the incident, but he now wondered if his Birthday hat had something in common with their conversation. He took the hat off to examine it. "I don't see what's so funny," he replied, "It's a normal Birthday hat." He looked at Akiza, who had stopped laughing. "Is there something funny about my hat?" Akiza shook her head and it made Yusei want to know why it had happened. Still, he decided not to press on.

Across town, it was also Dexter's Birthday. Luna had been there everyday after school for him to talk to about his day. Dexter really enjoyed it, but he did feel a little bit of guilt. Luna had to go to bed late and it caused her to lose valuable sleep. She insisted that she was used to the schedule and told Dexter to not worry about it. As Dexter put down his bag, the video phone rang, and Luna was on screen, only with Leo this time. "Happy Birthday Dexter!" the cheered once Dexter's face appeared on screen. "Thanks guys. That really means a lot to me." Leo gave him a thumbs up.

"So Dex, got any plans for tonight?" Dexter shook his head. "I'm just going to eat the slice of cheesecake I bought, but that's about it." Luna looked upset. "I wish we could be there with you Dexter. We could take you out somewhere to celebrate." Dexter replied it was not a problem, but Luna encouraged him to go out on Friday, as a treat for himself. "I'll even wire you the money," Luna added, but Dexter insisted that he wasn't_ that_ strapped for cash. The three of them talked a little and Leo noticed how happy Luna was talking to Dexter. When they hung up, Luna yawned.

"I'm going to bed," Luna replied. Leo put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Wait Luna." She turned around to her brother. "You seem really happy when you talk to Dexter," Leo continued, "Is there a reason?" Luna shrugged. "I'm doing something nice for him and that makes me happy," Luna replied, "I've enjoyed getting to be there for him. After all, Dexter doesn't really have many friends or people to talk to. Not to mention the fact that he's been bullied for so long, even though I think he's a really nice guy."

"But you've done this every school night since school started," Leo replied, "And I've noticed that you've been tired at school. Way more than usual. So how about you take a few days off and let Dexter know that you need your rest." Luna shook her head. "No way! This is a good thing for Dexter!" she exclaimed, "Whenever I talk Dexter, he smiles. It's something that is really rare for him, especially since he's been picked on for so long. If this makes him happy, then I'll do it for him." Luna made a fist and Leo gasped. There was this fire in Luna's eyes that he had never seen before. She really wanted to do this for Dexter and if that was the case, who was he to tell her no? "Okay," Leo replied suspiciously and walked away, "I'm going to bed too." After he turned around, a smile appear on his face. 'I've got an idea!'

Over the next few days, Leo spied on his sister when she talked to Dexter. He watched her and, not only did she talk to him on the video screen, but also on her laptop. When she did the latter, she had a noticeable amount of "stretching breaks" in which she stood up for a few moments and then sat back down. Luna was really using the "breaks" as an excuse to let Dexter check her out some more. It made him become shy, nervous, and smile like always, which put a smile on Luna's face. Leo watched as she laughed after most of these "breaks" as well, although he didn't get the reasoning behind it. He continued watching her and Luna seemed really happy talking to Dexter. She encouraged him and told him to keep working hard at school. They both smiled a lot and it caused Leo to smile too. Luna had told him the truth. Making Dexter happy makes her happy and it was clear by the smiles on their faces. After a few nights, Leo stopped spying on her, and let them talk in private. The only thing he hoped for was that Dexter could tell Luna his feelings for her. Knowing Dexter though, he probably was too shy to tell her.

Over the next few months, Akiza struggled through her classes. They were tough no doubt, but Akiza didn't do as good as she normally did. She ended up getting a B as he highest grade, to which Yusei and her family told her was a great achievement. It was tough learning about many different parts of the human body. Some parts were especially sad, when talking about diseases. But Akiza knew that she was going to have to deal with tough situations, even if she was doing basic checkups and appointments. At the same time, however, Akiza was greatly looking forward to coming home and not just to see her family or Yusei.

When she came back, Yusei had been informed by Martha not to schedule a date with Akiza that night. Yusei then asked her why. "Akiza wanted to do something different than what we normally do," Martha replied. Yusei said that was fine and they continued to ride to the airport in silence.

Yusei and Akiza rode in a limo by themselves again, as they rode to Akiza's house, to drop off her stuff. Yusei, as always, was there to give Akiza comfort and support. He kissed her and put his arm around her the whole car ride. "Is there anything that you want to let out or were frustrated about over the semester?" Akiza shook her head. "No. It...was tough, but with you guys supporting me, I was able to make it through." Yusei kissed her cheek. "Of course," he replied and then smiled at her, "I'm always here for you Akiza, even in your toughest days." Akiza leaned on his shoulder and the two of them relaxed for the rest of the ride.

Once they got to Akiza's house they dropped off her things and the two of them had their usual make out session. When they were all done, Akiza took Yusei's hand. "Where are we going?" he asked. Akiza looked over her shoulder with a smile. "We're all heading to Martha's house," she replied, "My parents and Martha are probably already there." Yusei was confused. "Was this the thing you wanted to do differently that Martha told me about?" Akiza nodded and Yusei shrugged. "Well that's not such a big deal. I was worried it was something worse."

When they got to Martha's they greeted their parents, who were already inside the warm house. They sat around in a small circle, drinking hot beverages. About half an hour into their conversation, Martha and Akiza looked at one another. Akiza put a finger to her nose and Martha nodded. Akiza waited until their was an opening in the conversation to bring up the subject. Of course, Martha ended up being the one to get the ball rolling.

"Hey Yusei. Do you remember me telling you that I have been looking through some boxes at Thanksgiving dinner?" Yusei looked puzzled, as he never remembered the conversation. The truth was that it never happened, but this was a white lie that Martha was willing to tell. "No. I don't remember that." Martha smiled. "Oh. Well you'll never guess what I found hidden in all that clutter?" Yusei's face lit up. "What did you find?" he asked. Akiza's parents were interested in what she found as well.

"I ended up finding some things from when you were really little. They are just so cute that I have to show everyone!" Yusei's face became worried. "Um. No. That's all right," he replied, a little concerned. "Nonsense," Martha replied, "You know all about Akiza's childhood, so why don't you show her some of yours?" Yusei sweat dropped and knew he was not going to win an argument with Martha. "Well...all right."

Martha got up and happily walked into a nearby room. After a few minutes, she came out with a large box. She then set it down near her chair, for everyone to see. Akiza spotted a small dog with a Birthday hat on it. "Aww! Look at how cute this on is!" She got on her hands and knees and picked it up. Yusei gasped as he watched her hold it. 'Could that have been the reason why she was laughing at my Birthday hat?' Yusei wondered. He then watched as Akiza looked through the box. "There is a lot of cool stuff in here," she replied as she picked up a piece of paper. On it was a drawing that Yusei had made with a picture of Martha and himself. He wrote their names sloppily and had an arrow pointing at both of them. "It looks like he draws the same way as when he was a kid."

"Let me see that!" Akiza's mother said exciedly and Akiza gave her the drawing. Both Izinski parents looked at it and smiled. "You're right!" they said to each other and Yusei just closed his eyes. 'I am not here. I am not here. I am not here,' he thought, 'I am on a beach with Akiza.' He then heard Akiza exclaim, "Look at this!" as she pulled something out of the box. It was green and white colored and Yusei sweated when he opened his eyes and saw it. He knew exactly what it was.

"That's a blanket Yusei slept with when he was a little boy," Martha said as she handed it back to Akiza. After examining it, they both laughed and Martha told her how he would curl up with it at night. They both turned their attention to the now grown young man. Yusei felt his face heat up in embarrassment and he pulled on his jacket collar nervously. Akiza's parents took the blanket to examine it as well. They laughed and remarked at how cute it was as well. 'Could this get any worse?' Yusei wondered. He looked over and saw Akiza pull something else out of the box. "What's this?" she asked and Martha took a hold of it. "That was a rubber toy that Yusei had when he was just as baby. It still squeaks." She squeezed it and it made a sound. "Don't worry about some of the baby spit though. Yusei played with it well after he was too big for a crib and didn't get sick." Akiza looked at Yusei, who gave her a wide, but embarrassed grin. Akiza smiled back and then dug through the box some more.

"There sure are a lot of stuffed animals in here," Akiza remarked as she pulled them out. There were a few dogs, including one that barked, a duck, and more. Akiza pulled out a teddy bear and Martha picked it up. "Yes. Yusei loved his stuffed animals growing up, so I gave him a lot of them. Not to mention that many people donated them to the orphanage as well." Akiza looked over at Yusei who had slumped over in defeat. "In fact," Martha replied, "He slept with them for a quite long time. I even spotted him sleeping with them when he was..."

"I can't take this anymore!" Yusei shouted as he stood up and quickly walked down the hall towards the bedrooms. He went into one of them and firmly shut the door. The four other people in the house looked at one another, not sure what to do. "I'll go talk to him," Akiza replied firmly. She got up and headed for the hall. The parents continued to look over the toys and stuffed animals and talk about how cute they were.

Inside, the bedroom, Yusei was slumped over and he looked as though he had lost the biggest duel of his life. Akiza knocked softly on the door and it opened a little bit. "Yusei?" Akiza asked as Yusei looked up for a brief moment. He quickly looked down again and Akiza sighed. She stepped inside the room and tightly shut the door. She sat down on the bed next to Yusei. "Yusei...I..." She put her hand on his right shoulder, but he turned to his left in disgust. "Why are you so upset Yusei?" He sighed.

"I'm just...embarrassed. That's all." Akiza sighed. "Well then that's my fault," Akiza replied. Yusei turned to her and looked at her in confusion. "One day I was having trouble with a rough day at school. I wanted to talk to somebody face to face and you were too busy. So I called Martha." Yusei looked disappointed and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry I was too busy," he replied. He wanted to continue, but Akiza spoke up. "You weren't too busy," Akiza replied, "I said that wrong. You sent me an encouraging message, but I wanted to hear someone's voice. Someone who I could express my emotions to. That's why I called Martha." Akiza gave him a kiss. "You were not at fault Yusei, so don't blame yourself." Yusei understood and got the message as Akiza continued.

"To make me feel better, Martha showed me some of the things that were in that box. I wanted to see them for myself, up close and in person. So, I asked Martha, when I came back, if we could go to her house. That way, I could see them and my parents could too. I figured we would all enjoy it. If that's what embarrassed you Yusei, then I am sorry." She gave him another kiss and Yusei smiled.

"It's all right Akiza. I overreacted. It's just that..." He looked down. "I don't want those toys to make me look like a wuss. I know that you look to me for comfort and support. I don't want my childhood to make it look like I'm too big of a softy." Akiza smiled. "Yusei. You're not a wuss all right? You're a wonderful person and I love the fact that you're such a soft and gentle guy. I don't think that liking all those toys is bad thing either. In fact, seeing those toys made me worry about how bad your childhood was, outside of the orphanage, and I'm sorry that it was so rough." Yusei smiled.

"Akiza. My childhood wasn't as bad as you think. I want to make that very clear. We were fed, had clothes, got schooling, and so much more. It wasn't a typical life that's for sure, but it certainly wasn't as bad as many people think. As long as we stuck together we were fine. Look at Crow's orphans. They stuck together and they made it through much worse times than I did. We all made it through and it's all in the past. Life is much better now, for all of us. The only thing I'm really worried about is: what do you think about the toys I kept and loved as a kid?" Akiza laughed.

"Yusei. I think all of that stuff is really cute. The fact that you loved getting stuffed animals and playing with them is wonderful. I'm not upset at you and I really loved seeing what you played with when you were younger. You know so much about my childhood, that I wanted to know more about yours." Yusei put his hands on her shoulders. "Well. you should have the right to know about it," Yusei replied, "And I'm glad that you get to see all of those things." He gave her another kiss. "I'm sorry I kept those things hidden for so long. Like I said, I was kind of embarrassed by them." Akiza laughed. "Don't worry Yusei. I find it cute." Yusei managed a chuckle and the two of them kissed one more time. "I love you Akiza." Akiza nodded. "I love you too Yusei." They sat and comforted each other for a few moments.

"Should we head back?" Akiza asked and Yusei agreed. They left the bedroom and went back to the living room, where Martha had found some more toys. "Yusei! I found some toy cars that you used to played with." Instead of looking upset or embarrassed, Yusei smiled. "Would it be all right if I played with them right now?" Martha looked at Akiza and then back at him. "Of course Yusei. Here." She gave him some room and he got on his hands and knees. "Could I play too?" Akiza asked. She had never played before, but Yusei was more than happy to include her. "Of course!" he replied and the two of them took a car. They both badly imitated a real car sound and they moved the cars around the floor.

As their parents watched, they all laughed, seeing their adult children acting like kids again. After a little while, Martha brought out a cake. "Who wants cake?" Martha shouted. Akiza and Yusei got up. "I do!" they shouted. Back on the floor were two cars. One was a dark red and one was black. They both sat comfortably next to one another, looking much like the couple sitting at the table.

**A/N: School starts for me this week, so getting a Chapter out will be off and on, depending on my schedule. Sorry for any inconvenience.**

**I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and thanks for the views and reviews!  
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	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33!  
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**Here's responses to the reviewers:  
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**KaiFudo16: Glad you enjoyed that part! I wonder what Akiza would say if she caught him!  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro:I'm glad you're enjoying the storyline! Don't worry! Dexter and Luna will have their time to shine soon enough!  
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**********tom . zhu. 509****: Glad you like the ending! I love making a warm and fuzzy ending like that!  
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**Anyways, here's the next Chapter:  
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Akiza and Yusei cuddled as they sat on the couch. They were at the Izinski's and it was Christmas Day. They had already exchanged gifts and they were now sitting around talking. As they did, Yusei had his arm around Akiza, covered by his usual blue jacket. Akiza had her arm around him, with her usual black arm sleeve, and Yusei sighed happily. "I love you Akiza," Yusei said softly. "I love you too," Akiza replied and they shared a brief kiss. Martha was watching from her seat.

"You two are just so cute together," Martha commented as they looked at her, "You two make a great couple." Akiza blushed. "Thanks Martha." Yusei nodded. "Yeah thanks Martha." Mr. Izinski whispered something to Ms. Izinski and she giggled. "What's so funny Mom?" Akiza asked. Ms. Izinski smiled at her daughter. "Nothing. It's just that your father told me that you two remind us of when we were dating. His mother always talked about how cute we were."

"Really?" Yusei asked, "You've never told us about them." Akiza nodded. "Yeah you guys. Tell us more about them." The two older adults looked at one another. "Should we?" Ms. Izinski asked. "We should," her husband replied, "And you'll also learn about how the two of us met." Everyone got comfortable as the two adults started their story.

_Flashback_

A younger Mr. Izinski was walking in a suit, on a red carpet, and there were a number of older gentlemen behind him. People were cheer and screaming, not for him, but for the man who was about to step out of a limo. "I was able to land an internship for a political candidate in college," Mr. Izinski explained, "I was studying politics at the time and I knew it was something I wanted to get involved in. Growing up, I noticed that too many of the politicians in Washington were concerned about money and getting to be in the spotlight. I wasn't interested in getting tons of money and becoming a star. I just wanted to go and do my job to the best of my ability."

A young man stepped out the limo and the crowd erupted. He had crew cut black hair and a big smile on his face. He waved to his supporters and started walking on the red carpet. People shouted for his autograph or to take a picture, but he was more interested in the task at hand. He continued waving as he went into a convention center, where even more people waited for him. Mr. Izinski instructed him which way to go.

"It was a tough job," Mr. Izinski narrated, "I had to make sure I knew where he was going to be, how he was going to get there, and that he was on time as much as possible. It was a fast-paced, hectic job, that was harder than some of my college classes. Of course, I got the opportunity to travel and see many different areas that I had never been too. Not to mention that all the late nights, early mornings, and lack of sleep might land me a job that I really wanted."

At another rally, a while later, Mr. Izinski waited for the candidate behind a wooden podium. It was going to be the last speech that he had to make, before the voters decided who they wanted to elect. As the future politician stood and waited for him to come out, a young woman stood at the front row of the crowd behind him. She had dark red hair and was looking at the young intern nearby.

"Hey! Hey you!" she shouted. The young Mr. Izinski turned to her. "Yeah! You!" Normally Mr. Izinski didn't listen to such people, but he wondered what the young woman had to say. She stuck out a campaign sign. "Could you have him sign this?" she asked as she stuck out a black pen. Mr. Izinski looked up at her. "I don't think I'm allowed to," he replied nervously. "Please?" his future wife cried, "I'll let you go on a date with me tonight if you do." The young man looked at her confused. "A...date?" She nodded.

He took a moment to look at her. She was about his age and was very beautiful. Her red hair complimented her eyes, as they were the exact same color. It was certainly an odd combination, but it intrigued him. Not only was her face beautiful, but he was attracted to her larger than average chest. "I...uh..." Mr. Izinski stumbled. "Please?" she pleaded with him one last time. He looked deep into her eyes and there was something there that he just couldn't resist. "Well...all right. Just this once."

He took the sign from her and waited for the candidate to come out. Before he spoke, Akiza's father had him quickly sign it, claiming it was for charity. He then sneaked back towards the crowd, where he slid the items back to her. "Where do you want me to meet you?" he asked, as they were in New Domino City and he knew his way around. She pulled out a small piece of paper and wrote the address down. "Meet me here at 7," she replied as she gave him the note. He looked at it and quickly stuffed it into his coat pocket.

Later, Mr. Izinski was getting ready. He was now in a red button up shirt and black pants. He was trying to work on his neck tie and he fumbled with it, as he tried to get it on. "Dang it!" he muttered to himself. He normally wore a clip on tie if he had to wear one, so he had no experience with neck ties. He fumbled with it a few more times and he then tried to look it up online. He managed to get it on, though it wasn't exactly how it was in the on-screen picture. He put on some cologne and took a deep breath. All of his traveling and school kept him busy, so he never really got the chance to go out on a date before. He sighed as he made his way outside to his car.

Mr. Izinski had lied about his date to the candidate, telling him that there was something important that he had to do for his family. Of course, it wasn't totally a lie. If this girl was going to be his future wife, then it technically was an important family event. At the time, he didn't know that, but it got him out of work none the less. He had already gotten instructions as to how to get to her house. When he was halfway through the instructions, he noticed that it was located in a group of townhouses. He carefully navigated the streets, before stopping in front of one of them. He then got out and made his way to the door. He rang the bell and waited for her.

"Coming!" she said before opening the door. Once she opened it, Mr. Izinski gasped. She had on a short black dress, that went to mid-thigh length and up to her shoulders. It had a yellow belt around her waist, which complimented her cheerful smile. "Hey! I'm so glad that you're here." Mr. Izinski nodded. "Thanks. I am too..."

His tie suddenly became loose and fell off of his shirt, towards the ground. Once it did, Mr. Izinski quickly picked it up. "I'm...so sorry," he replied nervously and tried to stuff in into his pants pocket. The young woman smiled. "That's okay. Let me see that for a moment." He handed her the tie and she started putting it on. After a few moments, she pulled it up. "There. Is that comfortable?" Mr. Izinski was stunned as she smiled back at him.

_End Flashback for a moment_

"Who does that sound like?" Martha interrupted, as everyone looked at Yusei and Akiza. Yusei looked down in shame, as he knew all eyes were on him. Akiza put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Yusei. I like doing your neck tie for you." Yusei blushed. "It's my fault," he replied, "I should just get clip-on ties, so I don't always have to call you over, whenever you think I should wear a neck tie." Akiza put her arm behind him and leaned it close. "It's perfectly fine with me," she replied, "And besides, my Dad _still_ doesn't know how to tie one."

"But I'm always here to do it for him," his wife replied. Mr. and Ms. Izinski smiled at one another. "So what happened on your first date?" Yusei asked, once there was an opening.

"Well...we made our way to the restaurant..." Ms. Izinski continued, as she was now the narrator.

_Continue Flashback_

The young couple was now sitting at a restaurant with a white table cloth covering it. It felt fancy, but considering the future senator had been traveling to similar places before, he wasn't totally shocked. "This sure is a nice place," the young woman noted as she looked around, "Are you sure you don't mind coming here?" The future politician shook his head. "It's no problem at all," he replied. The woman across the table looked down. "Well...thanks for taking me here...it's really nice of you." The gentleman reached across the table and held her hand.

"Hey. Anything I can do to make you happy is worth it." The woman gasped at the saying. "That's so sweet." The two of them started at one another and smiled. They may have only met a few hours ago, but there was certainly a spark in their relationship.

_End Flashback_

"That's really sweet," Akiza commented, "You guys hit it off from the first date. What made you want to go out with Dad anyways?" Her mother turned to her husband. "I watched him standing there and he seemed kind of cute," she admitted, "I had trouble getting a real, confident guy that wouldn't just look at me for my appearance, much like you Akiza. So I figured that a guy like him, someone who was involved in politics, would probably be more serious and less into being a pig." Mr. Izinski laughed.

"I wouldn't call me a pig," he replied, "But I did find you very beautiful!" Everyone chuckled. "What about your mother Mr. Izinski?" Martha asked, "You said that she found you two cute as well." They both nodded. "Yes," Ms. Izinski replied, "In fact, I remember the first time I went over to her house..."

_She remembers_

Mr. and Ms. Izinski had been dating for a few months. With the election over, Mr. Izinski didn't have to travel all over the place and worry about where he was going to be next. The candidate got elected, so he worked during the day for the most part. There were a few times he had to stay late, due to important bills taking a long time, but otherwise he had a pretty decent schedule. He still managed the House member's schedule, but the member could handle how efficiently it ran and getting to certain places during the nighttime.

Anyways, the two of them were sitting on the couch, nervous as could be. They both wanted to make a good impression on Mr. Izinski's mother and wanted to convince her that they really enjoyed on another. They enjoyed getting to have alone time together, much like their daughter and her boyfriend, and were not afraid of being close, even out in public. The two of them were also very affectionate and they shared a kiss as Mr. Izinski's mother entered the room. "Oh son. You certainly seemed to pick a very nice girl," Mr. Izinski's mother said as she sat down on a chair. She had black and gray hair, as she rocked back and forth in her chair.

"Thanks Mom," Mr. Izinski replied, "The two of us are very happy to be together." Ms. Izinski nodded. "We really enjoy each other's company and get along quite well." Akiza's grandmother smiled. "Well...you two certainly look good together." She made a rectangle with her fingers and framed them together. "In fact, I could see you two ending up with a wedding picture together on the wall." The young couple blushed.

"Mom!" Mr. Izinski replied, "That is not going to happened for quite a while. Don't jump to conclusions!" His mother didn't listen. "Aww! But you two seem adorable together! When's the next time that you're going to take her out on a date?" Mr. Izinski shrugged. "I don't know Mom." She shook her head in disgust. "You'd better treat her well or she'll jump on some other guy that could run against you in a election." Mr. Izinski leaned close to his girlfriend. "Don't worry Ma! I'll be sure to take her some place nice." The two women smiled.

"That sounds more like it! Now, does she want to see some pictures of you when you were a baby?" Mr. Izinski gasped. "Uh...no Mom. That's really not necessary..." His mother stood up and shrugged her hand. "Oh that's a bunch of baloney! If she's going to see you with your clothes off, she might as well see you when you were in diapers!" Mr. Izinski blushed as his girlfriend laughed. After a moment, he watched her laughing, and joined in.

_End Flashback_

"So who does that sound like? Huh?" Akiza asked, "Being a mother who likes to tease and show their son's baby stuff?" They all look to Martha who just laughed and they all joined in with her.

A few days later, Dexter sighed as he sat at home. He had the usual Christmas: alone and by himself. He had gotten a couple of things he might enjoy for himself, but to be honest, it wasn't the same as opening a gift that you didn't know what was inside. He stared at the ceiling as he laid on his bed. His classes so far had been his toughest yet and he knew that the following year was going to be tougher, especially with a college level class. He decided to take a nap, having nothing better to do. After he fell asleep, he was awakened by the doorbell. "Who could that be?" he asked to himself.

When he looked through the peephole, he saw a small box in front of it. He opened the door and looked at it. Dexter didn't know if he should be afraid or happy about it being there. He looked around and didn't see anyone. He carefully picked the box up and then took it inside. When he did, he couldn't remember ordering anything through the mail. He then saw a box saying it was from Yusei. He had talked to him briefly online a few days ago, but he never said anything about sending a package. Dexter opened the box up after getting some scissors. What was inside the box was surprising, as it caused him to find another box, although this one was wrapped. It also had a note on it as well.

"Sorry for being late," it said and it was clearly written by Yusei. Dexter raised an eyebrow, as the gift was sloppily wrapped in an even smaller box. He shook the box gently and thought he might know what it was. "It sounds like a video game," he estimated and then opened the box. Sure enough, he was right, and it was the newest football game. To his surprise though, there was also a card with his name on it. The handwriting for this one was much neater than Yusei's. He opened it to find a picture of Leo, Luna, Akiza, and Yusei, most likely taken from the previous summer.

"Merry Christmas Dexter!" it read and had all of their signatures on it. Dexter smiled and then looked at the game. His friends had secretly bought him a Christmas gift. He tried to hold in his emotions, but a tear or two started to fall from his face. He wanted to test out the game right away, but he wanted to also say "thank you" to his friends. He went onto his gaming system and noticed that Yusei wasn't online. He decided to call him and Akiza later, as they probably were together doing something as always. After testing out the game, he hopped onto his computer, and saw that Yusei was online. He then spoke to him through a private message.

"Hey Yusei. Are you with Akiza?" He quickly got a response. "Yeah. Why do you want to know?" Dexter smiled from ear to ear as he typed. "I just wanted to thank you for the gift the two of you got for me." On the other end, Akiza and Yusei were watching the message appear. "Akiza says you're welcome Dexter and I feel the same. I was very happy to send it to you." Akiza turned to Yusei and spoke with her voice. "Did he just get it today?" Yusei shrugged. "Probably." Akiza's eyes narrowed. "Why would he get it today? You sent it a few days ago."

"Maybe...it just got lost in the mail," Yusei answered. Akiza gave a firm look at Yusei. "Yusei! When did you send the gift?" Yusei thought for a moment. "Um...well..." He quickly typed into the computer. "Sorry it was late," he replied, "You see..."

_Flashback_

Yusei was talking to the twins the day after Christmas. "Hey Luna! Did you two have a good Christmas?" They nodded. "Did you send Dexter's gift?" Luna asked excitedly. Yusei thought for a moment. "Uh..." He turned around and spotted the game on the coffee table. "Oh crap!" he shouted and the twins watched as he quickly started putting the gift together. He ran to a closet and got out wrapping paper and tape. "You didn't send it?!" Luna asked in a upset tone. Yusei glanced over at the screen. "I totally forgot!" Yusei replied in a panic, "I was so worried about Christmas Eve and Akiza's gift that I totally forgot." He quickly ripped a piece of paper from an old notebook and wrote, "Sorry for being late!"

"Yusei! Are you kidding? A Christmas gift should be opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day!" Leo yelled on screen. In truth, Leo was having fun heckling him for his mistake. Luna, on the other hand, was more worried about Dexter's feelings than anything. Not getting to open, even just one gift on Christmas, must feel terrible. At least with Leo and Luna, they could exchange gifts to each other. "Did you at least invite him to go out with you on Christmas or Christmas Eve?" Luna asked. Yusei was about a quarter of the way through wrapping the box and him rushing was only making the wrapping job worse than usual. "No," he replied, "It never crossed my mind." Luna frowned. "That's horrible! Poor Dexter was probably all alone!" Leo looked confused at his sister. 'Why is she so worried about Dexter?' he wondered, 'Is there something more going on between the two of them?' Luna got an idea. "Well, if that's the case...can you invite him to go out with you next year?" Yusei nodded. "Sure thing Luna. I'll do it just for you!" Luna clasped her hands and smiled. "Really? Thanks Yusei!"

_End Flashback_

"So I was able to send out the gift and apparently today is when you got it," Yusei replied in a written message. He had said the whole thing out loud to Akiza. "So...you want me to come over with you next year?" Dexter confirmed. Yusei nodded and then typed. "Of course Dexter. It'll be great! And again, I'm really sorry about sending it late." Dexter smiled. "It's all right. It's the thought that counts," he replied, "Thank you and Akiza. I'll talk to you later." Yusei said goodbye and they left the site. "That sure was nice of him to send a Thank You," Akiza replied, "Most people don't do that anymore." Yusei nodded as he went back to watching videos with his girlfriend.

Back with Dexter, he checked the time. "It still should be early enough that the twins haven't gone to bed yet," Dexter noted as he went to his video phone. He selected their number from a long list and then waited for them to respond. A picture soon appeared and Leo was there. "Hey Dex! How's it hanging?" Leo asked as he flashed a huge grin. "Um...great," Dexter replied. He then spotted long, green hair wave in front of the camera. "Hey Dexter!" Luna repeated like her twin, "How are you?" Dexter smiled. "Great. I got your gift." Luna closed her eyes as she smiled. "That's great!" she replied as she then opened her eyes, "I'm so happy you got to open something for Christmas, but I'm sorry it's a little late."

"That's all right," Dexter replied, "It's the thought that counts. So...how did you get the idea for me anyways?" Leo spoke up. "Luna said that you played with Yusei last summer and wanted you guys to be able to play again this summer!" Dexter blushed as Luna continued. "That way, I could come over again this Summer and watch you play! It was hilarious watching you two yell at the TV screen." Dexter looked down, as he was embarrassed both by the fact that Luna told Leo about those nights last summer and the fact that he yelled at a video game. "That's sounds like fun, but does Yusei have the game?" Luna nodded. "Yep. Akiza gave it to him as his Christmas gift as well. Now you both can play each other before Summertime comes." Dexter nodded.

"Well...that's very nice of you guys to get me that game. I really appreciate it." Leo and Luna smiled at the screen. "You're very welcome Dexter. It's the least we could do," Leo replied. Luna leaned forward. "Did Yusei invite you to celebrate Christmas with them next year?" Dexter nodded. "Yes he did. It'll be the first time, in a long time, that I'll get to celebrate Christmas with someone else. I think the last time was when you guys were still here in New Domino City."

"That's wonderful," Luna replied, "I feel terrible that you've had to be all alone at Christmas by yourself." Dexter shrugged. "It's okay," he replied, although his voice sounded a little down. It caused Luna frown, but Leo was still as energetic as ever. "Speaking of summer, this next year, I'll finally be able to enter some sponsored events! I've got to think of a trademark!"

Dexter responded that he was excited for him, but Luna was still upset. She then remembered something. "Do you have anyplace to visit for New Year's?" she asked abruptly. Dexter paused. "Um...no. Not really. I'll just watch the ball drop and then I'll go to bed." Luna hated that Dexter had to spend so much time by himself. "Are you sure you don't want visit Akiza and Yusei for when it hits midnight?" Dexter shook his head.

"They deserve time to celebrate together, especially since Akiza leaves for Germany in a couple of weeks. I'll just stay home." Dexter smiled, trying to make Luna feel better. "It's fine. I'll be okay." Luna forced herself to smile, but she felt a tightening in her stomach. "All right. I'll see you later Dexter."

"Yeah! Great seeing ya Dexter!" Leo chimed in. They said goodbye and the screen turned black. When it did, Luna still looked upset, as she had her hands close to her chest. "What's wrong Luna? Is something the matter?" Leo asked, trying to make his sister smile. "I'm...just worried about Dexter. That's all." Leo sighed. "Well...what can you do? Dexter doesn't mind being alone and that's that. Besides, he said he'll be okay, and it was nice of him to thank us for the gift." Luna made a small smile. "That's true," she replied, but it didn't make her feel much better.

The next day, Luna laid on her bed. She wanted Dexter to know that there are people out there who care about him and she hated how he had to spend most of his time alone. He had trouble making friends at school and he was really quiet and shy. Luna pulled her knees up to her chin, as she laid on her side, not knowing what to do. She sighed and stared at the wall.

Later, Luna frowned as Leo came over to her, excited about something he came up with. "Hey Luna! I figured out my trademark!" Luna looked up. "Really? What is it?" Leo smiled as he pushed his hand towards her face. Luna stared at it for a moment. "A...peace sign?" Leo nodded.

"Yeah! Yusei and Akiza have always been about being non-violent and not wanting to hurt other people. So, I want to spread that message on to kids who might look up to me someday!" Luna managed a small smile. "That's really cool Leo! Would you do anything else?" He nodded.

"I want to tell kids that there are much better ways to solve problems than violence or weapons. I even made a slogan!" Luna's eyes widened as Leo went and got a sheet of paper. The letters were written in bold, blue letters. Luna read it aloud to herself.

"Don't use your fist! Use a disk?" Leo nodded. "Uh huh! If people used duel disks, our world would be a much better place to live! We wouldn't have so much violence and gun problems! I asked Yusei and Akiza what they thought and they loved the idea! Maybe it could become a big saying that goes down in history!" Luna managed to giggle a little bit.

"Well I think it's great Leo! I love how you incorporated what Yusei and Akiza stressed when we were growing up. I also like how you want to do something positive for when you make it into the major leagues, instead of being a big shot." Leo nodded. "I want to be known as a guy people can talk to. I don't want to be the kind of guy who lets fame get to his head."

"Like the great Jack Atlas?" Luna suggested and the two of them laughed. Even though Luna was laughing, Dexter being all alone by himself still weighed heavily in the back of her mind.

**A/N: I hope that you enjoyed hearing how Akiza's parents got together, along with Leo's plans for what he wants to do when he gets to the pros.**

**I apologize that I am going through a stressful time right now and have a lot of different things on my plate. I apologize that Chapter updates may not be as regular or as quickly as I would like. It's hard for me to write when I have so many different things I'm worrying about. I apologize for the inconvenience.**

**I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and thank you for all the reviews and views!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34!  
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**A/N: Again, I apologize as I'm going through a rough time right now. I hope you understand and enjoy this Chapter!  
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**KaiFudo16: Thanks for the encouragement!  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you enjoy this one too!  
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************tom . zhu. 509****: Sorry you didn't enjoy it, but I don't want the story to just focus on Yusei and Akiza. I wanted to give some insight on other characters too. Hope this Chapter's a little better.******  
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Dexter sighed as today was New Year's Eve. People would be out celebrating as the clock hit midnight. He didn't want to be a bother to Yusei and Akiza, as they were surely celebrating with her parents. Jack and Crow were someplace nice, spending time with Carly and whoever Crow had hooked up with. Leo and Luna were across in London, where it was only a few hours from midnight in their timezone. He laid on the couch and frowned.

Despite being used to be alone, he...really wanted to have someone there with him. He wanted to be able to talk and be close to someone. Someone special. Similar to Leo and Luna, his parents had pretty much abandoned on him. However, unlike the twins, they always had each other. When one was down, the other could pick them up. When one of them was happy, they could celebrate together. Who did Dexter have? No one.

After moping around for a few hours, he sighed and turned on the news, which only made him feel worse. It talked about all the fun things that were going to happen and how people were already celebrating. He turned it off and just decided to surf the web. When he did that, he only felt like listening to sad songs, which only made him feel worse. He finally decided to stop and find something else to do.

Across town, Yusei and Akiza were at her parent's house. Mr. Izinski had invited some friends from the senate over and the mood was a lot more strict than what Akiza and Yusei had expected. Yusei wore a nice suit and Akiza helped get his neck tie on. When the men arrived, Mr. Izinski was there to greet them. "Bob! Cy! Ben! So good to see you!" The men shook hands. "Here's my beautiful wife," Mr. Izinski said as his wife came up. Akiza and Yusei then came up together. "And this is my daughter and her boyfriend." They both shook the other politicians hands, although one of them gave Yusei an odd look. Yusei gulped and stepped aside.

"Come on gentlemen," Mr. Izinski instructed them, "Lets go to the kitchen." The three men followed, as the younger couple and Akiza's mother waited by the doorway. "What do we do now?" Akiza asked her mother. "We'll stay in the living room," she replied, "I'm sure we can find something fun to do while those guys have fun." Yusei and Akiza sat down on the couch, as Akiza had a maroon colored dress on, that went past her knees. "Just be sure to not get too romantic," Ms. Izinski reminded them and they nodded. "Don't worry," Yusei replied, "We'll be sure to keep it down." They suddenly heard a few roars come from the dining room, where the four men were playing cards.

"Wasn't that great?" Bob asked as they all held a hand of cards. "Yeah and we were able to pass the bill," Ben added. Mr. Izinski's faced firm up. "Yes you did, but what was the point when the President is from our party?" he questioned. The three men were older than him and were slowly losing their hair. "Yeah!" Cy added, as he had a squared shaped face, "Why did you do that anyways?" Bob and Ben stopped laughing. "Well..." Bob replied, "That way, when the election comes, we can say the President didn't do his job." Mr. Izinski rolled his eyes. "Anyways, back to the game," he replied.

Yusei, Akiza, and Ms. Izinski sat in the living room, with not much to talk about. "Do you want to play a board game?" Ms. Izinski offered and Yusei turned to Akiza. "Sure. Why not?" Akiza asked and her mother got up. She went to the bottom of a bookshelf and opened the drawers, to where some old board games were placed. "How about this one?" Ms. Izinski offered as she got out one involving dice and moving pieces around the board. "So what color do you want to be?" Akiza asked to everyone.

"I'll be yellow," Yusei replied. Akiza took red and her mom grabbed white. They started the game and Yusei eventually took out a card. "Remove one piece from the board that belongs to another player," he read aloud. He then looked at his girlfriend and then at her mother. "It's all right Yusei," Ms. Izinski replied, "I know you wouldn't want to upset your girlfriend."

"Why not?" Yusei replied as he picked up one of Akiza's pieces and sent it back to her starting area. She gave Yusei a mean glare. "Why did you do that Yusei?" Yusei smiled at her. "What? I'm just using for strategy," he replied, "After all, you almost made it all the way around the board." Akiza gave him a skeptical look and the game continued.

Later, Akiza drew a card and it said the same thing as when Yusei picked up a card. "Lets see..." Akiza pondered aloud, "Should I take my mom's piece or Yusei's?" She looked to Yusei, before taking off one of Yusei's pieces. "Hey!" Yusei pointed at the board, "You're mom's piece was _way _closer to her home than my piece was!" Akiza looked at Yusei with a grin on her face. "I'm using it for strategy," she replied in a sly tone, happy that she was getting payback for earlier. Yusei gave her a smile back. "Wow Akiza! I never knew you were so competitive!"

"Well...you just learned something new about me," she replied, "Besides, you're pretty competitive yourself." The game continued and it soon became late in the game, when Yusei got to draw another card. "Replace one of your pieces with another one on the board." He then looked at the board. Akiza's mother had been slowly working her way towards the end, while Akiza and Yusei had been getting back at one another. As much as Yusei wanted to use strategy, seeing Akiza get upset was rather funny, especially since it was over something very meaningless. "I think I'll choose..." He swapped places with Akiza. "This one." Akiza's eyes burned as she stared at the board. She quickly stood up. "What the heck Yusei? My mom's gonna win, because of you!" Yusei could barely see her face, as it was mostly blocked by her chest.

"What?" he asked, "I'm just doing it for strategy!" Akiza leaned over, now letting Yusei see her angry expression. "Strategy my butt!" she huffed, "You just wanted to see me get mad again." Yusei just started laughing, as Akiza sat back down. As angry as she was, she did admit that she had to chuckle to herself over the silly situation. Akiza's mother eventually won and they went to play a different game.

With this one, Yusei decided to be a little nicer to Akiza. "Pick one other player and swap positions with them." He looked down at the board and sacrificed a few more spaces, by switching spots with Akiza. "You could have done better by picking to switch with me," Ms. Izinski noted. Yusei smiled. "Yeah, but I figured that Akiza deserved it after what happened last game." Akiza blushed slightly and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, knowing that he mother was right there. "Aren't you the sweetheart?" Akiza asked and they went back to the game, to which Yusei ended up winning.

They played one last card game, much like the older gentlemen in the kitchen. Akiza asked if Yusei had any hearts "No," Yusei replied in a way that made Akiza suspicious. "Are you sure?" she asked, "If you're lying, then I won't kiss you at midnight." Yusei's face became stunned and he quickly handed over two cards. "Thank you," she replied, "And you get to keep your kiss." Yusei smiled and he smiled again later on as Akiza won the game. In the kitchen...

"2 of clubs!" Cy proclaimed and Ben put his hand to his face. "Aww!" he cried as Cy won the round. "Should we stop for tonight?" Mr. Izinksi asked, "Look at how late it is!" Cy nodded. "I want to," he replied and Mr. Izinski agreed. "All right. All right," Bob replied as they stood up, "But you two just want to stop, because you're both doing better than us."

"Yeah. Well it serves you right after passing that stupid bill that was never going to be signed," Mr. Izinski replied in half-hearten tone. "But I had to listen to you make that long speech that went for two hours," Ben noted and they all laughed. As the gentlemen headed for the door, Ms. Izinski came up. "Well...it was nice seeing you guys again," she loving said as she handed them their winter coats.

"Anytime," Cy replied. "Yeah. We should do this more often," Bob added. "Just as long as you win?" Ben added and they all laughed as the three of them headed out the door. They laughed and soon, the cold air stopped coming in through the open door. Ms. Izinski gave her husband a kiss. "Did you boys have fun?" she asked. "Oh yeah," Mr. Izinski replied, "Just when we didn't talk about work." She nodded and the two of them headed to the living room, where Yusei and Akiza waited on the couch.

"It sounds like you had fun," Yusei commented as the older couple sat down, each with an arm around the other's back. "We did," Mr. Izinski replied, "So how were things over here?" Yusei and Akiza explained what happened. "He said he was using it for _strategy," _Akiza replied suspiciously. "Yeah. It was strategy to get you all fired up!" Yusei replied as they all laughed.

Across town, Dexter sighed as it was already 8 o'clock. He couldn't really find anything on TV to watch and he was bored on the internet. Suddenly, the phone rang and Dexter got up to get it. When he answered, he was stunned.

"L...Luna?" he asked. "Hey Dexter! How's your New Year's Eve going?" Dexter was still in shock. He looked at his watch. "It's well past midnight Luna! What are you still doing up?" Luna smiled at him. "I'm staying up so that I can celebrate midnight with you," she replied cheerfully, "I'm having caffeine to help keep me awake." Dexter's eyes grew wide. "But you hate coffee!" he replied quickly. Luna laughed. "I'm not having coffee," she answered, "I'm having soda." She poured herself a cola flavored beverage into a clear, small cup, and drank from it. Dexter frowned.

"Luna. You don't have to do this. You should just go to bed and forget about me." Luna's face firmed up. "I'm not going to forget about you Dexter. You've had to spend so much time by yourself. I want you to be able to celebrate at least one holiday with other people." She smiled at him. "I figured you wouldn't want to bother Akiza and Yusei, so I decided to do this all by myself." Dexter was confused. "But what did Leo say about it?"

"Uh..." Luna replied as she remembered what happened.

_Flashback_

"What are you thinking Luna?" Leo replied, "You shouldn't stay up so late! Besides, tomorrow is New Year's Day and then we got to go back to school!" Luna smiled. "Don't worry Leo. I'll be fine. I'll just have some caffeinated pop and I'll be able to stay up all night long. Plus, I can't even remember the last time I got to drink it anyways, so this will be a good opportunity." Luna smiled as Leo's face firmed up.

"Please Luna! I don't know what's going on your head, but this is _way too far." _Luna's happy grin quickly went away as she rapidly stood up. "I want to do this for him Leo! He's had to spend Christmas all alone and he deserves to celebrate the last holiday of the season!"

"That's his fault!" Leo replied, "He could have gone with Yusei and Akiza, but he said no." Luna folded her arms and turned around. "I don't care what you say Leo. I'm doing this and that's that." She walked away from the table, leaving Leo stunned. Luna had never been this strong about something before and Leo couldn't remember the last time Luna had defied his orders like that.

'If she feels this strongly about Dexter and is going to such great lengths, then why doesn't she say something to him?' Leo wondered, 'She clearly has some sort of feelings for him, but she seems to shy and embarrassed to admit it.'

_End Flashback_

"Uh...lets just say that he didn't think it was the greatest idea ever, but I don't mind. I really wanted to do this for you Dexter." Dexter looked down at his feet. "I don't want to be a burden," he replied quietly. "Don't worry! You're not!" Luna replied quickly, "So how are you enjoying your new game?" Dexter replied that he was really enjoying it and he thanked her again for getting it for him. He then started talking about school and how he was doing pretty well when it came to dueling other students. Luna replied that she thought it was fantastic and she could tell that Dexter was happy talking to her. He sat down and they continued to talk back and forth. It was soon 9 and the it became close to 10, when Dexter got an idea, to help keep Luna awake.

"Do you want to do something to help you stay awake?" Dexter asked, "We could play a game or something." Luna yawned. "Sure that would be..." She yawned again and tried to pour herself another glass of soda. She nearly spilled and it was clear that her energy was almost to zero. Dexter took notice and decided to change the subject. "Why don't you lay down?" he asked, "Just for a few minutes." Luna turned to him.

"Are you sure? What about..." Dexter interrupted her. "I'll be fine. Just lay down on the couch for a few minutes and rest." He started humming, although he knew it wasn't very good. Luna nodded and slowly rested her head on the couch. Dexter watched as she curled up and he kept on humming. Soon, Luna had fallen asleep and was lightly snoring. 'She looks cute when she's like that,' Dexter thought. Although, he now had a predicament.

Should he stay online and wait for her to get up or should he shut the screen off and let her sleep? Dexter decided to do a combination for both. He got a sticky note and wrote on it. He had to do it carefully, as it had to backwards for her to read it. He then stuck the note and taped it to a nearby wall. Finally, he slowly went upstairs and got ready for bed. He watched the clock tick down on a TV in his room and then curled up into bed. The last few hours seemed to fly by, especially since he was happy that he got to spend some time with Luna.

Across town, the Izinski's and Yusei celebrated the hitting of midnight. When they did, they all cheered and looked towards their partner. "Do I still get to kiss you?" Yusei asked and Akiza looked at him. "Well...I guess so," she replied skeptically as they laughed and then exchanged a brief kiss on the lips. They turned to the older couple and they all wished each other a Happy New Year. Yusei soon headed for the door. "Well, I'd better get going," he replied. Akiza and her parents watched him. "Come Yusei. Why don't you just stay here?" they offered him. Yusei shook his head.

"Sorry. I really should be going. Besides, with people celebrating, I'll still be able to make it home. It's not too far away." Akiza stepped forward. "But it's so cold out Yusei! You heard the weatherman on the news! Please stay!" She went up to him and tried to give him a sad look. "Sorry Akiza. That's for another time." He put an arm around her, which was much softer with his winter coat on. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I think it'd be best for me to go home." He pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tight as he sighed happily. "I love you Akiza." He leaned back to find Akiza with a small smile. She then gave him another kiss on the lips. To be honest, it was the first time that night they were able to be their affectionate selves. "I love you too," she replied, "My little Yusei." Yusei smiled as they shared one more hug. He waved as he left, saying goodbye and wishing them a Happy New Year.

Across the pond, in London, the sun was rising. Luna moaned as the sun hit her in the eyes. Leo came downstairs, just to check in on her. He smiled, as he saw her laying on the couch. He went up to her and saw the note Dexter left. "Thanks Luna! I really had fun tonight! You're the best!" He then made a smiley face next to the note. Leo smiled as he looked down to see his sister sleeping peacefully. He grabbed a blanket and put it over her. He then headed for the stairs and went back to bed. 'If only you could tell Dexter how you feel,' Leo thought to himself as he got cozy in his bed once again.

A few days later, after Akiza left for Germany, Yusei was at work when he came to Lazar's office. "Hey Lazar. Long time no see." Lazar nodded. "Same here. What brings you to my office Yusei?" Yusei smiled. "There's something that I've been working on and I need your help with it." Lazar looked at him questioningly, as he wasn't sure what Yusei was talking about.

**A/N: Sorry this Chapter's so short, but I figure it's better than nothing.**

**Thanks for your support and please review if you can!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35!  
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****Shinn Tsukishiro**: Thanks for the review! I'm glad that you enjoyed having them interact with Akiza's family. I figure that they must get along pretty well, especially after everything Yusei did for her.  
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**************tom . zhu. 509************: Don't worry! They're going to be in this Chapter and then the next few too!  
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**drytacos: Great to hear from you again and great job being able to make a profile! Thanks for kind words and a few good thing have happened to me, but things are still rather stressful for me. I hope things will improve soon.  
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**KaiFudo16: That's going to come up later on and it's going to be very important. Glad you've noticed it!  
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**A/N: This Chapter is a little on the Yusei x Akiza fluff, so I hope you enjoy it!  
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As Yusei was working on one of his "secret projects", he felt like he was about to explode with happiness. 'I hope this works,' Yusei thought as he typed on the computer screen, 'I know that everyone will enjoy it if it does.' His face was beaming with joy, when he got time to talk to Akiza a few hours later. "Boy Yusei! You sure seem happy!" Akiza noted as she talked to him over a video chat. "I am," he replied and Akiza wondered why.

"I can't tell you," he replied, "It's a secret." Akiza tilted her head. "But Yusei! I'm your girlfriend! Surely you can tell me!" Yusei shook his head. "Sorry Akiza. This one thing that I can't tell you. Besides, all of the pieces might not come together anyways. If that happens, then I'll tell you what it was." Akiza sighed. "So can you at least tell me how long you've been working on it?" Yusei shook his head and Akiza frowned. "Well...that's okay," Akiza answered, "I guess I'll talk to you later Yusei." Yusei nodded. "Sure thing and remember Akiza: do your best and continue to smile. I want you to know that I love you no matter what." Akiza managed a small smile. "See! There it is!" Yusei replied as he pointed at the screen. Akiza gave a brief chuckle. "I love you too Yusei and don't worry. I've followed your advice, just like you said." Yusei smiled back and they both said "I love you's" before shutting the screen off.

Akiza sighed as she leaned back in her chair. Now that talking with Yusei was over, it was back to schoolwork. Having large textbooks and problems to do that took a long time to complete. Akiza knew that she had to do them in order to get her degree, but it was stressful none the less. After starting a Chapter for homework, she decided to relax and take a shower. Once that was over she sighed and decided to check in on Jack and Crow.

Crow had decided to leave his team just a week ago. He said that he wanted a new challenge and picked a team that was farther down in the rankings. His old teammates were not upset and they all agreed that a change of pace would be exciting. Crow found a couple of guys that came from Europe, so having both the twins and Akiza there made for an easy conversation starter. His new team, much like his old one, had in Crow's mind a lot of potential. They had a good combination that would work and also were young, up and coming in the standings. Crow wanted to build a team up and then get them to the top. He would start last, but if necessary, he would move to another position.

For Jack, he head was as big as air balloon. Being on top of course lead him to say and do what he thought was right. That course lead to him rattling his mouth off and having to pay a fine or two. Jack didn't take back what he said, as it kept him in the spotlight, and as long as he won, sponsors didn't care. With Carly having to do more stories about other duelists, besides Jack, it made their time together less than what they wanted. But it did make their time together more meaningful, so there was a small upside to it.

Akiza sighed as she thought all of her friends and how they were doing well, while she was still at school. She wanted to be out on her own and making money like them, but she knew that her hard work now would pay off later. She sighed again as she got up and into her pajamas, before climbing into bed. She laid there, not being able to sleep, and thought about her past.

Her role as the Black Rose seemed to bother her less and less, as it was longer and longer since her days as her "other self." She thought about all the pain and suffering she caused and how it was her goal to make up for it. That was one her reasons for becoming a doctor. She remembered what Yusei thought about it and he said that it was a very good idea. "I'm proud that it is one of your reasons for becoming a doctor," Yusei said with a smile as they sat on the living room couch, "Of course, even during your worst times, I know that you've always been a kind hearted person." Akiza smiled as she remembered the moment.

Yusei. He had done so much for her and she was always trying to return those same favors. Still, had she done enough? She remembered how he had responded to the question before. He said that she made it up to him with just a single smile on her face. Yet, that didn't make Akiza feel good enough. Yusei deserved so much more. After all, he saved the world twice and helped out so many of his friends. But at the same time, that wasn't his style. Yusei wasn't after fame or glory. All he wanted was to be himself and that including spending a bulk of time with her. Akiza rolled on her side and sighed happily.

_Akiza Imagines_

Akiza was standing in a dark room alone. She looked around. "Hello? Is anybody there?" Suddenly girls start appearing everywhere. Tall ones. Short ones. Ones with long hair. Others with short hair. Akiza looked around as she slowly became boxed in. Soon, she was surrounded by girls and the entire room was packed to the brim. Suddenly, on tall stage, Yusei came out and overlooked the crowd. All the girls screamed as he came out, almost like he was a famous celebrity, and a spotlight followed his every move.

"Yusei! Yusei!" Akiza shouted from the very back of the room, but she knew that the only person who could hear her was herself. She sighed sadly as Yusei walked down the stage steps into the mob, as the spotlight continued to shine on him. He slowly made his way through the crowd, as if he knew exactly where he was going. The look on his face was serious and determined. As he passed each girl, they turned and gave him a disappointed look, before fading. Yusei continued making his way through and the crowd slowly became smaller and smaller. Soon, he made his way to the back of the room, before stopping in front of Akiza. All of the girls he passed appeared for a moment, with their disappointed looks on their faces. They all disappeared for good as Yusei's determined, serious look turned into a much friendlier one. He smiled as he wrapped Akiza in a hug and he gave her kiss. "I love you," Yusei said sweetly as he looked into Akiza's eyes.

Out of all the girls in the entire world, he choose me. Me! Akiza Izinski! Akiza rested her head against his chest and shoulder, as he continued to gently hold her.

_Akiza Stops Imagining_

Akiza opened her eyes. She still hadn't been able to fall asleep and it was past 2 AM. She got out her phone and quickly sent a text to Yusei. "I love you," she wrote and, just a few moments later, a response came. "I love you too," he replied. Akiza could only smile as she placed the phone onto her chest. Akiza was so lucky to have a guy like Yusei in her life and she was grateful for everything he had done for her. As she feel asleep, she was able to think about all the happiness and joy that Yusei had given her, to overcome her terrible past.

Unfortunately, the happiness didn't last long. Akiza was slammed a few days later, when it was revealed that she had two very hard tests, on the same day, in only a couple of weeks. She took Yusei's advice and tried to focus really hard on both subjects However, both of them felt frustrating, as she would change from one subject to another. Just as she understood one and get the hang of it, she would switch to the other. When she would go back to the previous one, it felt as though she had forgotten over half of the given subject. It wasn't any easier on test day, as she opened a packet on her first test.

'I have no idea what the answer is,' Akiza thought and decided to go to the second question. 'I don't know that answer either!' Akiza screamed in her mind, as she clutched onto the necklace Yusei had given her a few years back. 'Come on Yusei! I need some help here!' Akiza knew deep down inside, Yusei was not going to be able to help her. She struggled through the test, knowing she did not do very well, without even seeing the results. 'Maybe things will go better on the next test,' she muttered to herself as she clutched onto her backpack.

But for Akiza, the second test was a struggle as well. She thought that she did better than the last one, but just because she did better did not mean she did very well. Akiza sighed as she got back to her apartment by herself. She let her bag fall to the floor, as she went to her small bedroom, and laid on her bed. "That sucked!" Akiza said out loud to herself as she grabbed her pillow and hugged it. She looked at her small desk nearby. Akiza didn't feel like calling Yusei. He would just say that she did her best and that he was still proud of her.

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the usual encouragement and happiness she got when talking to him. But at the same time, she wanted someone else to talk to. She knew it would be a few hours until her parents were able to talk to her. Akiza decided to wait until then to call someone and, for right now, she would just lay on her bed and rest.

A few hours later, after getting something to eat for dinner, Akiza went back to her apartment, and called her parents. "Hey Akiza!" her mother said enthusiastically, "So how did your tests go?" Akiza frowned. "Um...not so good." Akiza's mother opened her eyes. "Really? But you studied really hard didn't you?" Akiza nodded. "I did, but it didn't matter. I still think I nearly flunked both of them." Akiza's mother frowned too. "Well...I'm sure that you did better than you thought. What did Yusei say?"

"I didn't talk to him yet." Akiza's mother raised her eyebrows. "You didn't? Are you two in a fight or something?" Akiza shook her head. "No. I just...Yusei always says the same things whenever I've done poorly at something. I think he doesn't really know how to react to the situation, so he goes to what he knows best." Her mother nodded. "Yusei isn't perfect when it comes to romance that's for sure, but I know that he really wants you to do well." Akiza sighed. "I know. It seems like he speaks better when we're together and physically in the same room. When we're far away, it seems as though he doesn't know what to do." Akiza's mother smiled. "I know what you mean and he's told me that he's not an expert at speaking, as much as people like to think he is."

"He said that?" Akiza asked, "Well then what else did her say?" Ms. Izinski smiled. "I'm not going to tell you," she replied, "But I will say that I know you can come back from these two failures and do really well Akiza. You now know what to expect when it comes to those tests and I think you'll do much better the second time around." Akiza smiled. "Thanks mom. I'll talk to you later." They said goodbye and hanged up.

"Well...I guess I should call Yusei and tell him the bad news," Akiza said sadly to herself. She then dialed Yusei's number. "Hey Akiza! How'd your tests go?" Yusei asked with a big smile on his face. Akiza sighed and looked down. "I did terribly," she replied. Yusei's smile turned upside down. "Well...I'm sorry to hear that. You did your be..."

"Yes! I did my best!" Akiza shouted, "I did my best and it was not good enough! Because I'm not good enough!" Yusei watched as girlfriend started to cry. "Akiza. Akiza!" Yusei screamed as all he could do was sit and watch his girlfriend cry. He didn't know what to say or do, so he just sat there in silence. "I don't know if I can make it!" Akiza shouted, "These classes are so tough! When I get done talking to you, all I can do is go back to my school work! I suck! I suck! I suck!" Yusei could only watch and wait until Akiza could stop bawling. He watched the clock at the bottom on the screen and it was double digit minutes until Akiza stop whailing. Once Akiza was reduced to sniffles, he spoke up.

"Akiza...you...no...you worked hard at studying for those tests. You did your best. I know that isn't much to say, especially when you get your results back, but I know that you can become a doctor. You...are one of the hardest workers I know. When we worked together on your assignments, you kept trying make sure that you understood and knew the anwers. I watched you work your hardest to do well in school and to succeed. I know you can come back and I know that you can do well. You've always been determined to do something and when you put your mind to it, I know you can do it! I believe in you!"

Akiza looked up. "Yeah, but...you've said that before." Yusei nodded. "I know, but didn't it help those other times?" Akiza turned to the side. "Well...yeah, but...this is different. You've always told me that you believe in me and you've repeated that statement over and over again." Yusei sighed and tried to think of something new to say that would help Akiza. He finally shrugged. "I...I don't know what to say Akiza. You did your best. You studied hard and focused on the test. If you didn't do well, you didn't do well." Akiza looked down at the table.

"I think I'll just spend some time alone Yusei," Akiza replied. Yusei nodded. "Okay Akiza, but remember that I love you and there is no one in the world with a smile better than yours." Akiza nodded, hearing those words yet again as they said goodbye. After they had finished, Akiza went back to laying on her bed.

As the days went on, Akiza tried to make herself feel better. Still, the thought of those tests stayed in her mind. Sure enough, she got the test results back after a little over a week and they were what she suspected. When she got the tests back, she wanted to cry right in her seat. She ended up holding back her tears until she made the short walk home. Her coat sleeve had wet snot rubbed onto it and her glasses had white spots on them. When she got back, she went back to her room and put her red framed glasses into her glasses case. It was the first time, in a very long time, that she had gotten grades that low. The other times, she had not really tried, as it was just before her Black Rose days.

Sure enough, thinking back to those times brought tears to her eyes. She had tried to forget about those times, but having these low grades only made her remember them more. As the semester went along, Akiza had to struggle through those two classes. She had two others, that were much easier, but Akiza's mind was always on the two harder classes. Yusei tried to cheer her up, but before every test, Akiza got really nervous.

"Akiza. Akiza. Just calm down. Okay?" Yusei said in his private video phone room, "You can do it. Don't freak out too much or you won't think." Akiza slowly rocked back and forth in her seat. "I'm just so scared Yusei! I don't want to fail!" Yusei sighed. If he was with Akiza, his actions could help him talk to her, but when you're a thousand miles away, only his words could really speak for him. "Akiza. Even if you do fail, I want you to know that your family and I still love you. Okay? Can you take one of them online if you fail?" Akiza looked up. "I...I don't know," she replied, "I haven't looked into it." Yusei smiled.

"Why don't you try to look into it?" he asked, "And if you can, sign up for it. Then, you and I could take the class together over the summer." Akiza looked down. "But...you don't know the first thing about being a doctor." Yusei nodded. "I know and there are a lot of other things I don't about either," he replied, "But if I can help you in any way I can, I'll do it." Akiza managed a small smile. "Okay Yusei. That would be great."

Akiza started catching the hang of one of her classes, but the other one just didn't stick. Akiza tried really hard on the final. She needed a B+ or better to get a C or better. The teacher had warned on her syllabus that the class was very difficult, so Akiza was not the only student having trouble. She ended up scoring only an 80 on the final and had to take the class over. When Akiza got home, Yusei and her family waited at the airport to greet her.

"Akiza," her father said as Akiza cried into his shoulder. The other people watching frowned as Akiza was still upset over having to re-take her class. Akiza's mother gave her a hug as well. A short ways away, Yusei held onto the flowers he had gotten for her. To be honest, Akiza's parents _really_ wanted Yusei to be last in line. If they couldn't help their daughter, they knew that Yusei could. Martha gave her a hug as well and tried to give her some motherly advice. Akiza looked over her shoulder and spotted Yusei.

"Yusei!" she cried as she made her way over to him. Instead of being the usual happy moment, Yusei put his arms around Akiza and held her close. Again, Yusei was at a loss for words. "Akiza. Why don't we ride together and talk about it?" Akiza nodded and thought that was a good idea. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "I love you," he said with a hopeful smile. Akiza managed a small smile back and the two of them headed outside.

"Do you think he can cheer her up?" Ms. Izinski asked as her husband and herself turned to Martha. Martha gave them a knowing smile. "I know how much Yusei loves her and I'm sure he'll do everything he can to cheer her up." They all turned to watch as Akiza and Yusei left the airport.

As the two them rode in silence, Akiza looked out the window with her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Yusei looked down at his legs, not sure of what to say to her. "So...when does your online class start?" he asked, trying to find something to talk about. Akiza sighed at the thought. "In a couple of weeks," she replied. Yusei turned to her. "Well...at least we'll be able to try and do it together," Yusei replied, "And I know if we work together on it, you'll be fantastic!"

"Yeah," Akiza replied halfheartedly. Yusei's eyebrows lowered and he looked away to his right. 'Why can't I say anything to cheer her up?' he wondered to himself.

When Akiza and Yusei got to her house, Yusei wasn't sure what to do. After Akiza took her jacket, showing her familiar Victorian outfit Yusei didn't know what to do. He was in his familiar blue blazer and black pants, but he had never had to welcome Akiza back like this. Akiza went up to him and took the roses he got for her. "Thanks for the flowers," Akiza replied sadly and she took them to a vase that her parents had left out for them. Akiza turned to Yusei.

"Well...uh..." Yusei scratched the back of his head, "What do you wanna do?" Akiza looked somberly in to the living room, before walking up to him. "Lets do our usual thing." Yusei was a bit surprised and his face firmed up. "I will only do it if you want to Akiza. I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do." Akiza leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the lips, before leaning back.

"Don't worry. I want to." She leaned her head to the side. "Maybe it'll help cheer me up." Yusei nodded and they leaned in for another kiss. He leaned against the wall and they continued to kiss. To be honest, Yusei could feel as though the situation wasn't as fun as it normally was. Akiza's mind was clearly on her class, even as she tried to be affectionate with Yusei. When they were done, Yusei tried to smile. "Was everything okay?" he asked, "Did anything hurt?" Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei. Was anything uncomfortable or painful for you?" Yusei said it wasn't. "Okay," Akiza said sadly and looked down. Yusei spotted the television in the living room.

"Hey! Maybe if we watch something fun, maybe that'll cheer you up. Does that sound good?" Akiza nodded and they made their way to the TV. They sat down and Yusei turned it on. He surfed through the channels, trying to find something fun and friendly for them to enjoy. To be honest, Yusei didn't know what was airing that was good, so he checked the channel information guide.

"Laughter is Gold," Yusei pronounced as he read the title of a movie, "That sounds like it would a fun one. Want to watch it?" He turned to Akiza, who still looked depressed. She looked at him and shrugged. "Okay," she replied with no happiness in her voice. Yusei turned to it and leaned back against the sofa.

It was dark and two people were walking in a crouched position. They looked around, as if something was wrong. Yusei tiled his head, not understanding what was going on. They continued to watch, until the younger couple sat behind some bushes. "Okay," the young man said, "We should be safe here." They continued looking for a moment, before the camera panned back and a green monster roared loudly. The blonde haired woman and clean cut male screamed, along with Yusei and Akiza. The monster looked like a big ball of slime. It had long, thin arms and it reached out for the man.

Akiza watched in horror as the monster wrapped one of it's many arms around him. "Darrell!" the woman screamed and Akiza watched as the man struggled to break free. Suddenly, the scene made Akiza remember something. All of her failings in school caused her to remember her past and her past involved her being the Black Rose. With that in mind, man on screen looked just like Yusei at the Fortune Cup. Akiza turned to Yusei, who was looking as though he wasn't going to last another minute. Akiza looked back at the screen as the man was lifted high into the air, much like Yusei had been all those years ago. Akiza couldn't take the pressure and sadness that filled her. It consumed her like the monster that was on screen and all of her pain and suffering came flowing back. Akiza did the only thing she could do.

She bawled. Akiza leaned onto Yusei and he turned to her. "Akiza!" he cried and he quickly reached for the remote. He turned the channel, so that he wouldn't have to endure the frightening scene a moment longer, and then turned off the TV. He turned his attention to Akiza, who was trying to cry, but the tears just wouldn't come. Yusei managed to get Akiza into his embrace and he held her, not really sure of what was going on. When Akiza was done, she leaned back.

"Akiza! What's wrong?" Yusei asked, desperate for some answers. Akiza looked down. "Yusei. I'm...so sorry. I'm sorry I was such a burden on you." Yusei gasped. "Burden? Akiza you were never a burden! I don't understand Akiza. Why are you so upset?" Akiza looked down. "Because...because that movie reminded me of my past." Yusei's mouth opened slightly. "Oh. I see." He got a tighter hold on her. "Why don't we talk about it?" Akiza nodded and started to talk.

_Flashback_

It was the night Akiza had ran away from home. She ran for blocks until she knew that she would be away from her parents. Akiza decided to catch her breath, as she leaned against an alleyway wall. Normally, this was not the type of situation for a girl like her to be in: alone, in a dark place late at night. But with her powers, Akiza knew that she could attack anyone who may try to use her in _other ways._ Akiza sighed as she looked around, not truly sure what to do.

"I guess I'll just have to sleep here for the night," she said to herself, as she found an old dirty dumpster. She opened the top, to find it filled with garbage. "Guess the garbage man's suppose to come tomorrow," Akiza said to herself. She put the top down and leaned against the side, away from the light. The darkness, at the time, made Akiza feel good. With no one able to see her, she could keep to herself. She rested her head against a tall building and tried to get some sleep.

The next morning, Akiza got up, and heard her stomach roar in displeasure. 'I've got to get some food,' Akiza thought to herself. With her wearing the Duel Academy uniform, her skirt didn't let her have pockets to put a wallet in. She wondered around, not really sure what to do. She had to think of some way for her to get money. She went to the community center and found a flier for a dueling tournament. The only problem was that it was in a few days and she couldn't wait that long.

As Akiza left, she spotted some people dueling in the park. She went over and watched. "You're going down!" one of the guys trash talked to the other. The two continued dueling and, once the duel was over, they shook hands in respect. When they were talking, they both took notice of Akiza. She had her duel disk around her arm and both had noticed her watching from a distance. "Look at her!" one of the guys whispered to the other.

"I knew they were staring at my chest," Akiza narrated over the flashback, "The only good thing that I enjoyed about the Duel Academy uniforms was that it hid my chest incredibly well. It was very restricting and it managed to prevent any cleavage from showing. Still, even with a much smaller looking chest, it was obvious that guys were checking me out and talking about my larger than average chest."

"Hey! So you're a duelist?" the one guy ask smoothly as they walked over to her. "Hey!" the other one whispered, "Lay back! She's mine!" His friend gave him a nudge. "Why don't we duel and then we can get to know one another better?"

"It was never in my blood to do what I was about to do," Akiza narrated, "I never want to gamble, but I knew that it was the only way I was going to survive." Akiza smiled, which in truth was very fake, and she tried her best to talk sweetly and innocently. "I'd love to," she replied, "But may I ask for a couple of favors?" The two guys nodded. "First, lets not do it here. Come on. Follow me." Akiza then lead them to an alleyway. "I think this would be a much better spot." The two guys were confused. "Why here?" the second friend asked.

"I wouldn't want anyone else to see me talking with such amazing guys like you," Akiza replied, playing along with their game. The two boys grinned from ear to ear confidently. "And the second thing," Akiza added, "Why don't we put something on the line?" The two boy's beaming smiles became confused. "What do you mean?" they asked in synch.

"How about, if I win, you each have to pay me 20 dollars?" The two guys shrugged. "All right, but what happens if you win?" Akiza smiled. "I'll pay you each $20." The boys agreed and got out their wallets. They each pulled out a $20 bill. "Where's your money?" one of them asked. Akiza smiled at them. "It's in here," Akiza lied as she pointed to her bosom, "If you guys win, you'll also get a sneak peak." The two guys smiled once again. "Okay!" they replied, forgetting that Akiza hadn't pulled out any money.

A few minutes later...

"Ahh!" the two guys screamed as their life points hit zero. They each had bruises on their faces as they had been attacked multiple times. "Look like I win," Akiza said as she went up to them. She stuck out her hand and they each put the money in her hand. Akiza walked away, with two crisp $20 bills in her hands. Akiza smiled, because now that she had some money, she could get something to eat. Not to mention the fact that she got to dish out damage to some perverts who were trying to get with her.

_End Flashback for a moment_

Akiza looked down in shame. "So, for my first few duels, I managed to use my looks an attention getter. I..." She sighed. "I didn't like it. I felt like I was selling my body to make money. I didn't like it Yusei, but it was the only way for me to survive. I...want you to know that I would never do something like that again. It was only a few times, but I regret it none the less." Akiza whimpered as Yusei held her close.

"Akiza. I totally understand. You did what you had to to survive. I understand that it's not the thing you want to do. You've never seemed liked the kind of person who would flaunt their body around. Okay?" Akiza looked at him. "You've always been modest with your clothing and you were so worried about wearing a swimsuit in front of me. Akiza, I know you're not a girl who would ever sell her body for money and you had a very logical reason for doing what you did. I also know that you don't like to gamble money away and I know that you only went into those duels, betting with money, because you had no where else to go. You said it was only a few times correct?" Akiza nodded and continued talking.

"After I dueled a few times, without a home, word quickly spread about my powers. I realized it when one person recognized me as the girl with 'the powers.' In a way, I was happy, because now I wouldn't have to use my looks as a way to get people to duel me. Part of that involved my chest, but like I said before Yusei, I hated it for a very long time. It was so much bigger than everybody else and it was another thing that made me stick out. With that in mind, I had to find something to keep, not only my chest, but my identity hidden as well.

_Continued Flashback_

With the money Akiza was making from dueling, Akiza had managed to afford a jacket, to help keep her protected from the weather. Still, Akiza didn't think it was good enough and she needed something else. She wanted something to keep her identity hidden, as she didn't want her parents to find her. As much as Akiza didn't want to admit it, she also wanted a new wardrobe, because she secretly hated beating people up with her powers. Seeing their pained expressions caused pain in her heart and she couldn't live with that guilt anymore. If she was wearing some kind of disguise, then it wouldn't be Akiza Izinski that was punishing them, it would be someone else. As she walked by a store, she look inside.

It was a costume store, filled with different masks and cloaks. Akiza dug into her pocket and found a wad of green dollar bills. She knew she had more than enough and went inside. A loud thunder roared as the door shut and she walked around, looking for something to wear. Akiza wanted something dark, as it would keep her hidden during the night, but it would make her noticeable to duel during the day. She found a dark red robe, which matched her hair color. She then found a black one, with a hood, that would help keep her dry and warm. "Now all I need is something to keep my face covered," Akiza said to herself.

"And that's when I saw it," Akiza spoke over the flashback, "That white and red mask. I put it on and I could see through the eye holes. When I took it off, you couldn't see anything, including my eyes. It was perfect and I wanted it." Akiza went up to the counter and bought the items. After that, she went around a corner and put them on. When she was done, she was now officially the Black Rose.

Akiza narrated. "With my powers growing, I learned about the Underground dueling. They said you could make a ton of money dueling there." Yusei froze. "How often did you go there?" he asked. "Only once," Akiza replied, "I hated the atmosphere. All of the drinking, drugs, and shady feeling just didn't sit right with me. I left as soon as I found out what it was like. The extra money just wasn't worth it. So, I ended up dueling above ground for all of my duels, despite having the powers and rumors of being an underground duelist."

_End Flashback_

"I...just couldn't go there Yusei," Akiza admitted, "I just couldn't take it there. The place just reeked of scary and unsafe. I never have gone there since and I'm happy to report that." Yusei brushed some hair from Akiza's eyes. "I know what you mean," he replied, "I one time had to go to a place like that. Instead of ordering what everyone else did, I ordered a glass of milk. I would never go to a place like that again. Like you, I didn't feel right there. I also felt the same way with the former Crashtown area. I couldn't wait to leave, because I hated the old wild west vibe. Guns, drinking, and all that stuff doesn't sit well with me." Akiza nodded. "And like you I've never gone back to those places and I never will." Yusei and Akiza stayed silent for a moment. Akiza knew that she was going to have to tell Yusei about Sayer.

"I guess you're wondering how I met Sayer," Akiza replied as she looked away. Yusei didn't say a word, as Akiza turned back to him. "But this is the only time I ever am grateful for him!" Akiza shouted, "Everything else about him I hate." Yusei nodded. "I understand," he replied softly as Akiza remembered.

_Flashback_

"My powers were getting stronger by the day and soon, everyone had heard about me. I didn't like hurting people and I'm happy to know that the most serious injuries were still able to make a complete recovery. Still, I hated having to duel people and hurting them. That's why my disguise was so helpful. No one could say my name or what I really looked like. I was the Black Rose, a witch, that had a dark red and black cloak. The only problem was, as much as I hated it, I had to continue dueling in order to make money and survive. I'm sure Sayer found out about me and my powers sooner or later. He probably had some people duel me to see just how powerful I really was. It was one night, that he came up to me."

Akiza had just finished dueling and defeating another duelist. She opened her pocket, buried deep in her cloak, and pulled out some money. "You're the Black Rose?" Akiza turned around. "Who's there?" she asked. Sayer stepped from around the corner. "Who...who are you? And what do you want?" Sayer smiled. "So you are the Black Rose?" he replied, "I've heard about you. You have physicist powers that make your monsters become real." Akiza rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. I know. So come on!" She turned on her duel disk. "Are you ready to duel?" Sayer laughed. "I'm not here to duel you," he replied, "I'm here to make an offer." Akiza put down her arm, which was across her body. "What kind of a offer?" Sayer smiled. "I thought you'd like to know that I have powers just like you." Akiza was baffled. "Like...me?" she replied in a less serious tone. Sayer nodded. "Yes. Just watch."

He pulled out his duel disk and summoned a monster. "Attack that wall!" he shouted and the monster attacked. It caused a small explosion and Akiza closed her eyes. When she looked up, there was a small black mark where the monster had attacked. "See what I mean?" Sayer spoke slyly. Akiza turned around. "What...what do you want from me?" she asked.

"You don't like truly you powers do you?" Sayer asked, "You're like an outsider that no one understands." Akiza hung her head. "Wouldn't you like to be able to control those powers better and be accept by the rest of the world?" Akiza was still confused. "Yes, but...how can I do that?" Sayer smiled. "My name is Sayer and I own a place called the Arcadia Movement. It's a place where psychic duelists, that have been abandoned by the rest of the world, come to live, and work on their powers. If you join me, you will easily be the most powerful person there. Everyone will try to be more like you and you'll have friends that accept you for who you are. You would have powers just like them and they would have powers just like you."

"I've never heard of this place called the Arcadia Movement. What would I do about food and housing? I can't go back to live with my parents." Sayer put a hand up. "I have some of the best dorm rooms you can imagine. They're even better than most colleges. You would be provided with a place to sleep, work, shower, eat, and best of all, get schooling from some of the top teachers in the country. What do you say? Will you join the Arcadia Movement?"

Akiza thought about it. If she went there, she wouldn't have to worry about dueling for money. She would have food, clothes, and all the necessarily things that she needed. She couldn't remember how long it was since she got to sleep in a nice warm bed or take a nice hot shower. Even though Akiza was told never to trust strangers, Akiza just couldn't resist. "I'll do it," Akiza replied without hesitation, "I'll join the Arcadia Movement."

Sayer smiled evilly. "I knew you'd make the right decision. Now follow me." Akiza followed him until they reached the Movement. "Why don't you take your mask and robe off now?" Sayer suggested once they entered the lobby. Akiza shook her head. "I don't want to," Akiza fired back. "But you're safe here," Sayer replied as he put a hand on her shoulder, "All the other students here have powers just like you. You don't need to be afraid. Take it off and show me who you really are." Akiza sighed and looked around. She took everything off and Sayer recognized her uniform.

"You went to Duel Academy?" he asked, "Well, it's no surprise that you were let go and treated like an outsider. But here, you'll be accepted by everyone. We'll help get you into a normal routine and you'll quickly feel like you belong here." Akiza smiled. "Can I go to my dorm room? I'd really like to be able to relax and get settled in." Sayer frowned and turned around quickly.

"No! I need you to show me your powers!" Sayer replied, his voice in an almost rage, "Now, follow me to the training room." Akiza was a little frightened by his reaction, but she figured that it was probably standard procedure. She went into a large dueling area. Other people were dueling and there were people above in white cloaks watching them. Sayer went across the duel field and they started dueling.

During the duel, Sayer walked up to her as she attacked him. He said that the Arcadia Movement was going to be her new family. Akiza was still afraid of the Movement, as there was a lot of things that she didn't understand. Still, Sayer reassured her that she should trust the Movement as they were her new family, and that she shouldn't trust outsiders.

_End Flashback_

"After that, I stayed at the Movement, having school during the day. At night, I still sometimes went out as the Black Rose. Sayer thought I could be almost like an advertisement for them, but I only seemed found regular duelists who didn't have powers. At the same time, I ran into Misty's brother Toby, who did have psychic powers. I..." Akiza put her hands on her head. Yusei pulled Akiza in close, so that her head rested on his shoulders. "I...feel so bad about what I did. I just..." Akiza remained quiet for a few moments.

"Akiza. It's okay," Yusei said, once he knew he was ready to speak, "You only did what you were told to do and you were following the rules. Misty and you have made up. Please don't keep hurting yourself over it. Okay? It's over with and you have already made up with everyone." Akiza sighed and nodded. "I know, but I still feel bad about it. Not to mention that I had to keep dueling as the Black Rose, to follow Sayer's orders, and I really didn't enjoy doing it. To be honest, my powers seemed to become stronger the longer I stayed there." Yusei nodded.

"Right. That was part of Sayer's plan to have you be part of his army." Akiza nodded. "I know and I'm sorry about what happened. I just..." Yusei just sat there, not sure what to say. "It's okay Akiza," was all he could muster. "You ended up finding me and that's important. You have already made it up to those people, by being a Signer and saving the world. I hate Sayer as much as you do Akiza, but the one thing that I am grateful for, is that he gave you a place to live, and it caused the two of us to meet each other. Without it, we might never have gotten together. So, just try to think about the positive stuff. Okay? I know you can do it." Akiza nodded, but she wasn't convinced.

"Why?" she asked. Yusei was surprised. "What do you mean why?" he asked. Akiza looked down. "It's just that...every time I have a problem, you say the same things to me. 'I believe in you', 'You can do it', and 'I know you can do it' are just a few examples. You say the same things over and over again Yusei. It's not that I don't appreciate your encouragement or anything, but I just...I..."

"Want something different?" Yusei asked as he tried to finish her sentence. Akiza nodded and Yusei sighed, as he looked away for a moment. "Akiza. I'm not the best speaker out there." Yusei looked at her right in the eyes. "I fully admit that. I'd love it if I could conger up big, important speeches at a moment's notice, but I can't do that. I'd love it if I had a huge vocabulary and could make every speech unique and different. That way, every time you needed love and support, it could be special for just that situation. But...I can't. I know I repeat the same things over and over again to you. But I have a very good reason."

"Why is that?" Akiza asked and Yusei smiled at her. "Because that is truly how I feel. When I say that 'I believe in you' or 'I know you can do it', it's because I know, in the bottom of my heart, that you can. When I tell you that, 'You can do it', I want you to succeed. I want you to do well. I love you Akiza. Which, by the way, brings up a very good question." Akiza looked at him curiously. "What question is that?"

"If I told you 'I love you' a million times, would it not sound as meaningful the tenth time I said it? The thousandth time? The one millionth time?" Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei. Every time you say, 'I love you', I feel as happy as I did the first time you told me those words. I'm so grateful that I have you in my life Yusei. I'm grateful for everything that you've done for me. I love you so much Yusei, from the bottom of my heart. I can only hope that you feel the same way." Yusei smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I do Akiza. Every single time you tell me 'I love you', I feel the same happiness I felt the first time you said those words to me. I could hear those words every day for the rest of my life and it would never grow old on me. I'm so happy I'm with you and you're the one who says those three little words to me." Akiza smiled and the two of them shared a kiss. Akiza then quickly looked over her left shoulder.

"But...are you sure that I've made it up to Yusei? After all, you've done so much for me over the years." Yusei leaned in close and gently turned her face towards him. "Of course you have Akiza. To quote myself a while back, 'You have made it up to me, with just a single smile on your face.'" Akiza smiled at Yusei's words, as hearing them yet again made her feel a rush of happiness and joy. "See? There's the smile that I love," Yusei replied as the two of them hugged tightly, sighing happily in each others embrace. When they leaned back, they smiled at one another.

"So, you feeling any better?" Yusei questioned and Akiza nodded. "That's good," he replied, "Because I hate seeing you so sad." Akiza leaned onto his side. "Would it be all right if we sat here until our parents come back?" Yusei agreed. "Sure thing," he replied and they sat on the couch, each enjoying the other's embrace. Even though Akiza knew she had to worry about school, she still wanted to take the time to enjoy this moment alone with Yusei.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this Chapter!**

**Next time: Jack and Crow come over and they are not happy with Yusei. When they threaten him, what will happen to his relationship with Akiza?  
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**Find out next time!  
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	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36!  
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****************tom . zhu. 509**************: Thanks for being the 100th reviewer!  
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******Shinn Tsukishiro****: Thanks for the very thoughtful review! I'm glad that you're really enjoying the Chapters and I hope I can keep impressing you with my work!  
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**drytacos: I'm excited that you enjoy reading past stories of mine. Granted, most of them are not nearly as detailed or as good with spelling, grammar, etc. as this one is.  
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**Guest (From "Not What I Expected"): Thank you so much for your kindhearted review! That really made me happy reading it. With it being an anonymous review, I feel bad that I can't thank you privately, but I am intrigued by the mystery of who sent it. I hope you keep reading and enjoying my stories, whoever you are! :)  
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A few days later, Yusei was sitting around and watching TV in his apartment. He heard the door ring and wondered who it was When he looked outside, he was shocked. "Jack! Crow! Good to see you!" Yusei replied happily. Jack and Crow weren't smiling back. "It's good to see you too," Crow replied as he came in, "Sit down! We need to talk." Yusei watched as Jack and Crow came in and sat down on the couch.

"Come on!" Jack shouted as Yusei was still by the door, "What are you waiting for?" Yusei walked over and sat down. As soon as he did, Jack and Crow stood up. Even Crow, who was the shortest of the three, looked like he was towering over Yusei. Jack was the first one to speak up.

"Yusei. How's your relationship with Akiza?" Yusei smiled. "Great!" he replied, looking like a happy puppy, "She came home a little while ago and we're going out for dinner on Friday night." Jack and Crow looked at one another and then back at Yusei. "When you go on your dates," Crow began, "What do you do?" Yusei shrugged. "We go out for dinner, talk, and then go back home. Sometimes we stay for a little while and talk, before the other goes home. Jack got a sly smile. "Do any of these dates involve some little 'fun' afterwards?" Yusei's eyes narrowed.

"If by 'fun' you mean getting into bed, then no," Yusei replied firmly, "I am still happily a virgin." Jack and Crow rolled their eyes. "Well _something _must happen," Jack replied "Because Martha's always talking about you two." Yusei raised his eyebrows. "She does? What does she say?" Jack rolled his eyes. "You two can't keep you hands off of each other. She says you're always hugging, kissing, and being affectionate with one another." Yusei didn't understand. "So what? We're affectionate. You don't do the same things with Carly?"

Jack leaned in close. "I do, but not nearly to the degree you two are doing." Crow came into the conversation. "She tells me that you two are always touching each other or are close to one another." Yusei was still lost. "And what's the big deal? We're dating! We should have some sort of contact!" Jack pulled on Yusei's collar. "You should have contact, but it should be a lot less! You don't want people gushing about how super affectionate a guy is and you don't want to be known as a softy! All I hear from Martha is about how you guys are _so affectionate_ and you guys are _so close." _Yusei smiled, showing his teeth.

"Jack are you jealous of me, because Akiza and I are closer to each other then you are with Carly?" Jack pulled Yusei in close. "I'm not jealous! I'm just trying to save you some face as a man!" Yusei chuckled. "Saving myself from being a man? How in the world are you going to do that?" Jack let go of him and put his hands on his hips. "Well...lets take a look at how you're doing. Lets start with how you act with Akiza."

"You're super affectionate, you never can stop hugging her, kissing her, putting her arms around her, and he's only made out with her, as he is still a virgin," Crow noted, as though he had written everything down. Jack then added. "Have you touched her breasts yet?" Yusei shook his head. "Well that knocks you down a few more pegs," Jack added, "Lets now take at look at what you do _with Akiza. What do you two do for fun?"_

Yusei put his finger to his chin. "Well...we go out to restaurants, we've gone mini-golfing together..." Crow chuckled. "Mini-golfing." Yusei frowned for a moment and then continued. "We've played video games together, gone out to movies together..." Jack pounced on his last response. "What kind of movies have you gone to?" Yusei tried to remember.

"We went to a couple of animated ones, a comedy. One them I remember was called a 'A Wonderful Night.'" Jack and Crow's eyes grew wide. "Yusei! That's a chick flick!" Crow and Jack put their hands on their heads. "But I got to go out with Akiza or make out afterwards," Yusei reminded them, "Doesn't that count for something?" Jack and Crow gave him angry glares. "Oh wow Yusei!" Jack said sarcastically, "A five minute, no boob or intimate touching, session for having to go to a two hour film! Then again, I'm not even sure if you could last 5 minutes in a make out session." Yusei was about to answer back, but decided to hold back. If they started talking about Yusei and Akiza's make out sessions, there would a ton of issues that would come up, besides the no intimate touching. Crow decided to change the subject.

"So have you seen any other chick flicks?" Crow asked, "And be honest. If you remembered titles, that would be great." Yusei thought for a moment. "We saw 'Fire Within You', 'Hourglass', and 'Helping Hands.'" Jack and Crow sighed. "All chick flicks," Crow replied, "Which are all terrible." Yusei spoke up. "They weren't so bad. Besides, all of them were up for some kind of award. In fact, that's why we went to them, since they got such good reviews." Jack shook his head.

"It doesn't matter how well it's reviewed," Jack replied, "Did you tell Akiza that you didn't want to go?" Yusei shrugged. "Well...at first I wasn't too keen on it, but then Akiza noted the good reviews. We both thought about going out afterwards and getting to spend time with one another. So, I said yes." Jack rolled his eyes. "So you willingly went to a chick flick without having to have Akiza drag you there?" Yusei didn't want to admit it, but it was the truth. "Well...yeah I guess. I was just being a good boyfriend." Jack scowled and muttered to himself. "But what's the big deal?" Yusei responded, "So I went to a chick flick! Besides, the movies aren't as bad as you think. I admit that I actually enjoyed some of them." Jack and Crow covered their eyes.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Jack cried, "Yusei just admitted that he _enjoys _a chick flick!" Yusei was confused. "But they're just movies!" he replied, "Besides, there are some cute girls in them too." Jack turned to him and gave him a crossed look. "Yusei! The only reason 'chick flicks' exist, is that the movie makers know that women will flock to them! They put a bunch of hot, muscular guys in them, so that the women watching will masturbate to those same guys when they go to bed that night. There may be a few girls in it, but over 90% of it is guy fanservice! If you really think that Akiza was only going to them, because of good reviews, you're crazy! She's probably upset by the fact that her boyfriend has less muscle than a 2-year old and goes to them to actually see some _real men with their clothes off. _Plus, maybe she's trying to drop the hint that you should hit the weights for once in your life." Yusei rolled his eyes and let Jack's words slid off his back.

"Jack, we've been over this a million times. Akiza doesn't mind the fact that I'm not some sort of super hunk and she loves me just the way I am." Jack snorted. "Yeah whatever. Anyways, back to our list of issues for you." Crow stepped up. "So you've now admitted that you've enjoyed chick flicks. Now what else is there? Oh yeah! Things you do around here." Crow looked around. "Well, you do have this nice gaming system." Jack and Crow walked over to it. "You actually have some _manly _games here too." They both looked through his stack of games. "Golf?" Jack asked as he turned to Yusei, "You have a golf game?" Yusei smiled, even though Jack looked at him like he was crazy. "It's more fun than you think." Jack just rolled his eyes, as if Turbo Dueling could be nearly as exciting as golf. Crow put down the last game Yusei had. "Come on. Lets head downstairs."

"Why are we going downstairs?" Yusei asked. Jack and Crow looked at him as if he was crazy. "To check on your runner," Jack replied and they both headed for the door. Yusei bit his lip, as he headed for the door as well. They went downstairs in silence, until they all went to the garage. They soon found Yusei's used car and his red Duel Runner in a far corner. Jack went up to it and wiped it with his finger.

"Dust?" he muttered to himself, "Is there dust on Yusei's Duel Runner?" Crow came over. "There's dust all right," as he picked some up with his finger, "In fact, there's quite a bit of it." Crow and Jack turned to Yusei. "When was the last time you worked on it?" Yusei shrugged. "Last week." Jack and Crow's eyes narrowed.

"You liar!" Jack shouted, "There's no way this thing collected this much dust in a week. Maybe in more like a few years!" He went up and easily lifted Yusei off the ground by the collar. "Where's the real Yusei? Who have you replaced him with?" He shook Yusei as Crow quickly came over. "Ahg. Ag. Ah. Ag," Yusei moaned as Jack shook him. Crow quickly put his arms between them. "That's enough Jack!" Jack let go and Yusei fell back onto the ground. "Why haven't you tinkered with your Duel Runner in a very long time Yusei?" Jack asked with a finger pointing at him. Yusei stood up.

It was rather simple why Yusei had used his car and Martha's for a very long time, instead of his Duel Runner. Cold weather? Had to use the car for warmth. It also left only about four good months out of the year to ride his runner. But then those four months also had their share of issues. Rain? Had to use to car. Going on a date with Akiza (or anywhere in general)? Had to use the car. Yusei would hate it, if Akiza's nice dress or clothes would get dirty. Plus, it was so much easier to talk and have a conversation in the car, rather than on a Duel Runner. The noise made it tough, plus they both had to pay attention to the road, which could mean long breaks in-between talking. Not to mention, if they got to a stoplight in his car, Yusei could have a quick moment with one arm on the wheel and one arm around his girlfriend.

Still, there were even more reasons. Buying something? Had to use the car to store it in. He could easily walk to work, since he was now living downtown. During inconvenient weather, the car was safer and warmer, along with the fact that it was cheaper to get a car parking pass than a Duel Runner pass. Speaking of work, Yusei had to go there, instead of having hours of free time like a few years ago. Plus, with the limited free time he had, he wanted to spend it on something relaxing, as opposed to a Duel Runner that might give him frustrations. He had also found other things to enjoy, along with keeping up with his friends. All of that added up to zero time he could spend with his Duel Runner. With him having no reason to Turbo Duel as well, Yusei didn't feel the need to upgrade or upkeep his runner. To be honest, it had turned into a classic situation of having an old car that you keep, despite not needing or using it anymore. As Yusei thought about all the reasons, he figured that Jack would easily be able to understand why he found dust on his Runner. But before he could explain, Jack said something totally different.

"Wait! I know why! You use your car so often, because then Akiza and you can be intimate with one another in it?" Yusei was about to say "no", before Crow added something. "It makes sense that you would. This thing could easily be a love machine." He looked inside. "Lots of room in the back seats, plus a parking garage would be pretty empty a majority of the time." Yusei suddenly re-thought about the situation. If he admitted it, then maybe Jack and Crow would get off his back. He would be able to drop this whole "manliness test" that they were giving to him and they wouldn't bug him about not dealing with his Duel Runner in many years.

Still, Yusei couldn't. If Jack and Crow were upset with him being affectionate with Akiza, then they didn't recognize the real Yusei. He loved being affectionate with her and nothing could ever change that. Akiza gave equal love and affection back to him and she shared the same feelings to him about being affectionate. If Jack and Crow were going to accept that fact, along with the fact that Yusei wasn't using his Duel Runner, then the best time for them to realize this would be sooner than later.

"It's not," Yusei replied, "I have never made out with Akiza in my car. We've always done things inside. As for my Runner, I haven't used it in a long time and don't really have time to work on it. It hasn't bothered me up to this point, so I don't see it bothering me in the future." Jack and Crow's happy faces quickly turned upset. They backed Yusei up, until his back onto the cold, concrete wall. "Yusei! You said you're going on a date with Akiza on Friday. Correct?" Yusei nodded as Jack grabbed his collar again. "Well then we're going to follow you and tag along on your date." Yusei's mouth dropped.

"Why in the world would you do that? It's a date with Akiza and me, not the two of you." Jack didn't listen. "Because you're not a real man anymore! You go to chick flicks and have admitted to liking them. You are way too sweet and affectionate with Akiza and you never work on your Duel Runner anymore. Not to mention the fact that you're weakling and have no muscle to speak of. For your date with Akiza, things are going to change!"

"How are they going to change?" he replied, "It's in just a few days!" Jack smiled. "Don't worry! You'll see." Jack let go of Yusei's collar and turned around. "Come on Crow. It's time for us to turn Yusei into a true man!" Yusei watched them walk out. 'I don't know what they're doing,' Yusei thought, 'But I don't like the sound of it.'

The next day, Yusei went to get the mail. It was mostly ads like usual, until Yusei stumbled upon a letter. It just had the word "resident" and then his address. Yusei opened it and found a few sheets entitled, "How to Get Ripped." Yusei rolled his eyes as he now realized who sent the letter. He took the few pages, put them horizontally, and ripped them in half. He then took the pieces of paper and threw them into his recycling.

Akiza called a few hours later and asked Yusei where he wanted to go. Yusei didn't want to go very far, because then Crow and Jack would bug him about having to drive there. "Can we go someplace close?" Yusei asked, hoping Akiza would agree to it. "Sure!" she replied, "How about that place just down the street?" Yusei smiled. "Sounds good," he replied, "Do you want to come over at 7?"

"That's sounds great!" Akiza answered back, "I guess I'll see you then. I love you Yusei." Yusei smiled. "I love you too Akiza." They both hung up and Yusei sighed. "Well...I guess I'll wait until our date to tell Akiza that Jack and Crow are coming along," Yusei said to himself, "After all, maybe Akiza will get mad and tell them to let us have our usual date by ourselves. Yeah! That sounds good!" Yusei smiled and now couldn't wait for Friday night.

When Friday night came Yusei was getting ready for his date when Jack and Crow came over. When Yusei opened the door, Jack had something in his hands. "Here," he said, once he saw Yusei, "Put these on." He threw the clothes at Yusei, which hit him in the face and caused the pants to fall down. Yusei blew the shirt out of his face and bended over to get the pants. "Why do I need these?" Yusei asked as he picked up the black pants.

"So that Akiza can see a more manly side of you," Jack replied, "Now go to the bathroom and put them on." Yusei sighed, as he turned around, and headed for the john. As he put the clothes on, he just didn't feel right. The shirt was _really tight. _He had his normal black, sleeveless shirt that was tight too. However, that shirt was comfortable tight and wasn't so form fitting. This one felt about two sizes too small. Every time Yusei turned, he could feel the shirt stretching, as it tried to keep up with his body. The pants were made out of leather and were tight as well. When Yusei looked in the mirror, he didn't feel like himself.

He looked like some raging, biker boy that was trying to get girls to notice him. Yusei felt uncomfortable with the whole ordeal and wanted to wear something more comfortable and in his usual style. He left the bathroom and went out to the living room. "Jack! We need to talk!" Yusei said in a firm voice. Jack and Crow turned around to look at him. "Yusei!" Crow said excitedly, "Looking good!" Jack smiled as well. "You look like a true man," he added. Yusei frowned. "Jack! What's with these clothes? They're so tight and I don't like them! I want to go back to wearing my old clothes." Jack looked annoyed.

"Yusei! This is what a normal guy wears when he goes out on the town. Just wear it a little while and you'll get used to it." Yusei shook his head. "I don't want to Jack! This whole thing is stupid." Jack gave him an angry glare. "It is not stupid!" Jack fired back, "We just want to help you be more like a regular man and that's why we're going with you on your date. You can't be all affectionate and lovey dovey with Akiza! All men are serious and less talkative around their women, because affection is a sign of weakness." Jack walked up to him. "And why are your arms still looking like twigs? Didn't you do the exercises Crow and I sent to you?" Yusei shook his head. "Yusei! You should be more built like a regular guy! Those exercises were suppose to help you! Plus, your wardrobe needed an upgrade and that's the reason we got you these clothes. You need to be and act more like a man if you want Akiza to stay with you." Yusei didn't like what Jack had said and stood up for himself. "Forget it Jack!" He turned around. "I'm changing into my old clothes." Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Go answer it Yusei," Jack said angrily, _"And remember what we said, because, if you don't, then you'll be in a lot of pain and trouble."_ Yusei knew what that meant. He was just going to have to go with the flow, even if it meant not being his usual self. He turned back around and went to the door. He checked to make sure it was Akiza, before he opened the door.

"Hey Yusei!" Akiza said with a bright smile on her face. "Hey Akiza!" Yusei replied. Akiza stood there for a moment, waiting for Yusei to wrap her in a hug, give her a kiss, or look deep into her eyes. Instead, he just stood there, before sticking his arm into his apartment. "Why don't you step in for a moment?" As Akiza came inside, she looked at Yusei in his new outfit. "Yusei, you look...different." Yusei nodded. "I know. Jack bought them for me." Akiza's eyes widen. "Jack bought them?"

"That's right!" Jack replied with his arms folded. Akiza turned around and saw him and Crow. "Jack! Crow! It's so good to see you two." She went up them. "How long have you been here?"

"A few days," Crow replied, "We've been trying to help Yusei get ready for his date with you." Akiza smiled. "Well...thanks for that," she replied awkwardly before looking over her shoulder, "Come on Yusei. Lets get going." Yusei scratched the back of his head. "Um...well...see..." He couldn't admit what was going to happen, so Crow did it for him. "Jack and I are coming along with," Crow responded. Akiza was a little surprised. "Oh. You are?" They nodded. "Do you want to ride over there?" Jack asked, but Akiza shook her head.

"No. Yusei and I agree to a restaurant just a few blocks away. It would be silly to drive over there." Jack frowned, as Yusei gave him a knowing grin. It was almost as if Yusei was saying, "Ha ha," to Jack. "Okay. We should get going," Yusei replied. As he turned around, Yusei put both hands to the back of his head, as if he was scratching his neck. The quick turn, combined with his arms being up, caused the shirt to rip down the right side. "Yusei!" Akiza cried, "Your shirt's got a huge rip in it!" Yusei smiled, knowing that he succeeded. "I know," he replied as they examined the rip, "Jack was the one who bought the clothes. I told him it was way too tight, but he insisted that I should wear it." Yusei looked at Jack again with a knowing smile, as Jack growled to himself. Akiza continued to examine the rip.

"I think you should put on your blue blazer or something like that to cover it up," Akiza replied and she looked up at Jack. "Jack, I know that you like this type of clothing and I know you meant well. But when you're buying it for another person, do you think you could actually think about, you know, the person who's going to wear it? This shirt is _way too small and way too tight. _It should be at least a couple sizes bigger." Jack frowned.

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that," Jack replied sarcastically. Akiza didn't know about Jack and Yusei's feud going on and Yusei smiled as he went to his room. He grabbed his familiar blue blazer. 'At least I can wear something comfortable,' Yusei thought to himself as he walked back out. "All right. Lets go," Yusei announced and they all headed for the door. Akiza waited by it as Yusei locked the door. When he turned around, Akiza expected Yusei to hold her hand, put an arm around her, or give her some kind of affection. Instead, he walked right by her, almost as if she wasn't there.

'What's with Yusei?' Akiza thought to herself, 'He's acting really weird.' She then jogged to catch up with them.

As they walked down the street, Akiza was still waiting on Yusei to show his affectionate side. They had made it nearly two blocks, before Akiza could sense something was wrong. By now, they would have stopped at least once to do something affectionate. Yusei and her might share a hug, a kiss, or even just saying, "I love you," which would force them to stop walking in the middle of a block or when they would be waiting at a red light. Not only that, but Yusei still hadn't held her hand, put his arm around her, or anything of that usual nature. Akiza decided to take matters into her own hands. She took Yusei's wrist and leaned on his left side.

"So Yusei, is everything all right?" Yusei was about to answer and put his arm around Akiza, when Jack cleared his throat. "Ehhh. Hmmm," Jack coughed rather loudly. Yusei looked at him and Jack shook his head, knowing what Yusei was about to do. Yusei frowned for a moment, before he stopped walking. "Hey look at that!" Yusei said as he gently pulled out of Akiza's grasp. She stopped to admired what Yusei was looking at. "What?" Akiza asked as they looked at a apartment building. Yusei started walking again. "Never mind," he replied and walked ahead of Akiza, with his hands in his pockets. Akiza had noticed Yusei letting go of her and watched as he kept walking. 'What's going on?' Akiza wondered, 'Have I done something wrong?'

As Yusei walked a short distance ahead of Akiza, Jack looked over his shoulder and gave Yusei a thumbs up. Yusei gave a weak thumbs up back, feeling bad at the fact that he had to let go of Akiza, and lie to her about seeing something that wasn't there. By the time Akiza caught back up, they had made it to the restaurant. "We're here!" Crow said happily as he went and held the door for everyone.

When they got into the bar and restaurant, they were seated at a small red booth. Crow and Jack slid in one side, as Yusei and Akiza went into the other. Yusei let Akiza go on the inside, as he sat closest to the outside. A few moments later, a pony tailed, brown haired, young waitress came up the them. "Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked as she passed out menus.

"I'll get the beer special you go on tap," Jack said proudly. "Me too," Crow added. Jack turned to Yusei. "Do you want one too?" Yusei shook his head. "Sorry, but the only beer I drink is _root beer._ Can I have that?" The waitress nodded. "I don't drink either," Akiza added, "So can I have a root beer as well?" The waitress nodded. "Two beers and two root beers. I'll be right back with those for ya." She walked away, as Akiza and Yusei thanked her. Jack slammed his fist into the soft, booth cushion. 'A real man orders a beer,' Jack thought. Crow put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Jack," Crow whispered to him. Jack took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. After they ordered, Akiza spoke up.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Akiza said and Yusei got out for her to visit the ladies room. As Yusei sat down again, Jack had a question. "So Yusei, how are those new clothes treating you?" Yusei shrugged. "Well...the shirt has ripped a little bit more." Crow leaned forward. "How are the pants?" Yusei shrugged. "A little too tight for my tastes. Why do you ask?" Jack grew a smile. "Have you used your pants to their full potential?" Yusei looked lost. "What do you mean?"

"Yusei. There's a reason we got you those pants," Crow replied, "They're tight and made out of leather so you can rub your groin against it really easily. In turn, all that rubbing makes it easier for you to get a...you know." Yusei's eyes widened. "What? Why did you do that?" Jack and Crow laughed. "Because getting aroused at Akiza will make you want to do it with her sooner. Trust me. Just stare at Akiza's chest, when she gets back, rub your groin against your extremely tight pants, and you'll be able to keep rubbing it for the rest of the night." Yusei put his head into his right hand. 'I knew there was some sneaky reason behind them getting me this tight of pants,' he thought.

"I'm back!" Akiza said cheerfully a few moments later. Yusei got out and let her back in. When they were comfortable again, Akiza leaned in close to Yusei. 'Maybe being in this booth will help Yusei be more affectionate,' she thought. As Akiza leaned on him, Yusei couldn't help, but have his eyes wader to her chest. That...big, ginormous chest. Yusei felt his groin start rubbing against the tight leather in his pants and he found himself quickly going from unaroused to aroused. 'I don't think I can take much more of this,' he thought to himself as he felt the leather. He knew that he needed to calm down and decided on a plan. He slowly tried to lean to his right, towards the end of the booth. Akiza felt him moving and sat up. "Yusei! What's wrong?" Yusei stood up, outside of the booth, and left her grasp. "I...uh...have to go to the bathroom," he replied as he faced his three friends. He then tried to act cool and calm as he gave her a weird looking smile. Jack and Crow chuckled to themselves as Yusei walked to the bathroom. But for Akiza, she was having a much different reaction.

'Does Yusei not want to be affectionate with me anymore?' she wondered to herself, "He's tried to leave my grasp a few times already.' Akiza loved the fact that Yusei was so affectionate and sweet with her. Tonight, it felt as though he was not himself. It was almost as if he had been replaced by the Yusei most people thought he was like: serious and uptight. Akiza knew that there were times and reasons when Yusei was like that and didn't show his emotions. But he hadn't showed that side of him for a very long time, probably since before they started dating. Akiza sighed. 'Maybe I'm doing something wrong,' she thought.

Once Yusei made his way to the bathroom, he went into a stall, and sat on the toilet, without pulling down his pants. "Come on Yusei! Calm down! I hate these stupid pants!" He could feel the tightness of the pants still rubbing against his groin. He took some loud deep breaths and tried to find a comfortable position that would cut the rubbing out. It was hard for another gentleman, who came inside the bathroom, not to notice. 'He must be having a really rough one,' he thought as he left, still hearing Yusei take in deep breaths.

When Yusei came back, he had pulled his pants up just a bit, to help give his lower area some breathing room. It wasn't much, but every little bit helped. Once they got their food, it was much easier for him to relax and for Akiza to put her mind off of Yusei's odd behavior. As they ate, they talked mostly about Jack and Crow and how their seasons had been going. Of course, Akiza had to ask Yusei a question, that he didn't feel like answering right that moment.

"Do you think we could go see 'My Mother and Me' next week? It's up for quite a few awards." Yusei froze, as he knew that movie was a chick flick. "Uh...I don't know if I can," he replied. Akiza frowned and leaned in close. "We can do something afterwards if you'd like," she whispered. Yusei turned to her. "Sorry Akiza, but I can't." He then turned back to his food and Akiza sighed. 'Something's definitely up,' Akiza thought, 'I've never had to push Yusei into going to those movies before and he usually wants to go with me, without a second thought. The make out sessions or going out afterwards have always just happened naturally, and he's never used that as the only reason to go. So how come he turned me down on both the first attempt and when I offered him of a reward for going?' Akiza didn't understand and sadly ate her food.

Once they all paid, Yusei held the door as they left. Akiza felt as though she should take one more shot at Yusei. They started walking and Yusei didn't give her any affection yet again. Akiza walked up to him and tried one of the easiest romantic things she could do: she reached out and held his hand. For a moment, Yusei turned around and smiled at her. He tightened his hold on her grip and Akiza felt as though the Yusei she had grown to love was back. Suddenly, Crow looked over his shoulder, and shook his head. Yusei looked down and slowly, with lots of regret, let go. Akiza gasped as she watched Yusei walk faster than her.

'He let go of my hand. Maybe he doesn't want me to be his girlfriend anymore,' Akiza thought. She forced herself to catch up the gentlemen as they waited at a red light. She followed them back to Yusei's apartment, before stopping as Yusei let the guys inside. He stood next to Akiza, as the door was still open. "I had a good time tonight Akiza," Yusei said as he faced her. Akiza was hanging her head. "Yeah. Sure," she replied sadly. Yusei went up and kissed her on the forehead, but didn't do anything more. "I'll see you soon?" he asked. "Sure," Akiza replied plainly before turning around. Yusei watched her close the door in his face. When the door officially shut, Jack and Crow cheered.

"Way to go Yusei!" Jack shouted with his arms in the air, "One date with Akiza without being all mushy gushy!" Crow chimed in. "Yeah and you actually acted like a regular guy for once. Maybe you can be a real man after all!" Yusei's eyes narrowed. 'That was not a date,' he thought, 'And something was bothering Akiza.' He felt his body tense up.

'I will make sure to find out what is wrong with Akiza and make up for this date. The real Yusei Fudo wasn't there tonight and Akiza must have noticed it!' He felt himself make two fists at his side. 'I will do everything in my power to help make her smile again!' He turned around.

'And the first thing I have to do, is make my priorities very clear to Jack and Crow.'

**A/N: Yusei's mad! Get ready for some anger and emotional scenes next Chapter!**

****Thanks for your continued support and I hope you enjoyed this Chapter!**  
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	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

********Shinn Tsukishiro******: Don't worry! Yusei's going to make it up to Akiza and there's a secret plan afterwards! ;)  
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**drytacos: Glad you enjoy reading them! 15 times! Wow! I'm honored! Thanks so much!  
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**************tom . zhu. 509****:******** Don't worry! It's coming next Chapter and I can't wait to write it!  
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**KaiFudo16: It's okay if your review's behind. The fact that you reviewed and are enjoying the story makes me happy!  
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Yusei had had enough. He couldn't stand Jack and Crow telling him what to do and how to act around Akiza. It was _his relationship. _It was _his life. _What he enjoyed or didn't enjoy doing in his spare time and what he did or didn't enjoy doing with his girlfriend was _his business._ And his business _only._ Yusei turned around and looked angrily at Jack and Crow. He went up to Jack and did what he had done many times to him that day. He pulled on his collar and had to reach upwards, as Jack was nearly a head taller than him, as Yusei was average height.

"What are you doing Yusei?" Crow asked in a nervous tone. Jack just chuckled. "So you wanna be a tough now do ya? Well try and lift me Yusei." Yusei tried, but there was no way he was going to lift Jack off of the ground. "Ha! Since we were able to fix your relationship, maybe we should work on your appearance too, and not just a clothing change." Yusei growled.

"Fix my relationship?" Yusei asked, "You didn't fix my relationship! You made it worse!" Jack rolled his eyes. "Please! I saved it!" Yusei let go of his shirt. "Forget it Jack! I'm done taking your advice! What I do in my spare time is my business and what my girlfriend and I enjoy doing is our business." Jack chuckled. "Ha! You really think that going out and constantly hugging and kissing Akiza is a good thing? Yusei! What about what other people thing? You'll be totally humiliated and become the laughing stock of New Domino City!"

"Then so be it!" Yusei fired back, "Akiza and I love being affectionate with one another. After all, as someone great once said, 'You can't let a little thing like total public humiliation get between you and good time.'" Crow looked confused. "Who said that?" Yusei shrugged. "Some TV show," Yusei replied, "But all I know is that I have good time when I'm with Akiza and I don't care about what other people think about me. If she's happy, then I'm happy too."

"Whatever," Jack replied, "At least we got you to change clothes." Yusei's eyes narrowed. "And that's another thing!" he shouted. Yusei then took off his blue blazer and started trying to get the tight shirt off. It started to tear some more, but Yusei didn't care. He finally had to stick his head through one of the holes to get it off. Once he did, he tossed the shirt at Jack's face.

"Look at how unmuscular you are!" Jack noted and Yusei slipped on his old coat. It didn't do much as Jack continued to mock his body. Yusei wasn't done and quickly unbuttoned his pants, leaving him in nothing, but his boxers. Yusei stopped for a moment, as he remembered the last time Jack and Crow saw him in such little clothing. Still, Yusei had his boxers on, to protect himself from more humiliation, but he wanted to make sure it wasn't brought up. He quickly folded his pants into a ball and chucked it at Jack's face. He turned around and stormed off.

"I'm going to bed!" Yusei said as he quickly walked to his room. He hoped Jack wouldn't bring up the conversation about "it" and he was happy when Jack spoke up. "Fine! It's a good thing these clothes were on sale!" Jack shouted as he headed for the door, "Come on Crow!" Crow remained silent as he nervously walked outside. 'At least he's not mad at me,' Crow thought to himself.

For Akiza, she was laying on her bed, thinking about how odd and different Yusei was acting. She sighed as she rolled on her side. 'It wouldn't be the first thing that's changed about Yusei since we've dated,' Akiza thought, 'But all the other things were not nearly as big as this.'

_Akiza remembers_

Since Yusei and Akiza had started officially dating, Yusei had changed in a few ways, most notably physically. When Akiza and Yusei first started, Yusei had smooth, hairless hands. A short while afterwards, Yusei started getting some hair on the back of his hand. It wasn't caveman hair, but the small, light colored hairs were replaced by thicker dark hairs. When Akiza and Yusei were reunited during their first Summer, Akiza had taken Yusei's hand, as they went on a small date for dinner. As they walked, Akiza's thumb rubbed the back of Yusei's hand. She noticed the hair and they soon found themselves stopping in the middle of a block.

Akiza kept feeling the back of his hand and she lifted his hand, to look at it better. "When did this start?" she asked. Yusei looked down in disappointment. "A few months ago," Yusei replied, "I'm sorry." Akiza smiled. "Yusei. It's not a big deal. I was just wondering." Yusei wasn't buying it. "I'm sorry Akiza. I could shave them if you want!" Akiza shook her head. "Yusei. Don't shave your hand. That's silly. There's nothing wrong with your hand. It's beautiful just the way it is." Yusei was still frowning.

"But...you probably like it when it's shaven and smooth and all that stuff. I'm really sorry Akiza! First my hands become hairy and soon they won't be smooth anymore. When that happens, you won't want to hold my hand ever again!" Akiza shook her head.

"Yusei. I don't mind if your hands aren't smooth. I love your hands just the way they are. No matter how hairy or unsmooth. I love holding your hand and I always will. I know that you care about making me happy and I'm happy when I get to hold your hand. After all, my hands aren't going to be smooth forever either. So, the same things that happen to your hands will happen to me as well. Will you stop holding my hands when my hands aren't as smooth anymore?" Yusei shook his head.

"No. I love holding your hand Akiza. I always will, no matter what your hands look or feel." Akiza smiled. "I feel the same way Yusei. I'm sorry that I bugged you about your hands being hairy." Yusei smiled. "It's okay." They hugged one another. "Shouldn't we be getting to the restaurant?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded. "Yeah! I'm starving!" They both smiled and tightly held hands all the way to the restaurant.

Later, Yusei stayed at Akiza's for a little while after their date. When he came back from the bathroom, he put his arm around Akiza, as they sat on the couch. After a few moments, Akiza smelled something and looked to her left. She grabbed Yusei's hand and started smelling it. "Did you use my hand lotion?" Akiza asked. Yusei sweat dropped. "Um...well...maybe," he replied nervously. Akiza smiled. "It's okay Yusei. I don't mind. Just remember that I love your hands no matter what." Yusei smiled and they shared a brief kiss.

_End Flashback_

Of course, Akiza had also noticed that Yusei had filled out a little more as well, but that didn't bother her too much either. Then again, it wasn't as noticeable with him being clothed most of the time. However, there was definitely one that did stand out.

Probably the most noticeable thing about Yusei was that he hadn't only gotten hairy on his hands. He had also started getting it on his face. At first, Yusei could control it with a electric razor and he could do it almost every other day, without too much of a change in appearance. However. the hair soon grew back faster and faster. Finally, the electric razor was not enough, and Yusei couldn't stand how he looked. Having little black hairs above his lip didn't make him feel very confident and the hair had started growing around his chin, lower lip, and in other places too. He thought about replacing the electric blades, but ultimately decided to move to a regular razor. Akiza laughed as she remembered the first day he had shaven.

_Flashback_

Akiza was calling from her second year in school. "Hey Yusei!" she said excitedly. She looked suspiciously at the camera, as she could only see Yusei's eyes. "Hey Akiza!" he replied back. Akiza laughed. "Yusei. Your camera's a bit off. I can only see you eyes." Yusei didn't adjust the camera. "Can you still hear me?" he asked. Akiza nodded. "Well, as long as you can hear me, that's all that matters." Akiza looked suspiciously at him.

"Yusei! What's going on?" Yusei blinked. "Nothing," he replied after a moment. Akiza put her hands on her hips. "Yusei, whatever is wrong, you can tell me." Yusei shook his head. "You won't like it," he replied. Akiza smiled. "Come on Yusei. I love you and that includes with how you look. Come on. Just show me what's wrong." Yusei's eyes shifted downward. "Okay," he replied, "But you won't like it." Akiza watched as Yusei slowly tilted the camera downwards.

Akiza's eyes widened when she saw Yusei's face. It was all red above his lips, near his chin, and it looked like he was breaking out from something. "Yusei! What happened?" Yusei tried to smile. "I tried regular shaving for the first time and it didn't go too well." Akiza smiled. "Oh good. It's nothing serious. Are you in any pain?" Yusei shook his head. "No. Just a little sore and embarrassed that I shaved so badly. Like I said, it's my first time with a real razor." Akiza nodded.

"Yusei. It's okay. I understand. Why did you switch razors anyways?" Yusei sighed. "I didn't like the fact that my electric razor left little hairs on my face. I've been trying to keep my face from having facial hair, because I honestly don't like it." Akiza smiled. "But Yusei. Most guys like facial hair. Besides, I wouldn't mind it if you had a little facial hair." Yusei shook his head.

"No way! I've never had facial hair and now it won't stop growing! I don't want you having to kiss a guy with a thick beard." Akiza laughed. "Yusei. This is just like your hands all over again. I don't care if you have hair or not. I'll love you just the way you are, even if your face isn't perfectly smooth." Yusei was able to smile. "Well...thank you Akiza. I'll keep trying with the new razor, but I can't guarantee it will be evenly shaven or smooth." Akiza nodded. "That's fine Yusei. Just do your best with it. After all, that's what you always tell me." Yusei agreed and they said goodbye.

When Akiza came back, she had came over to the Tops to watch TV with Yusei. As they did, Akiza couldn't help, but feel Yusei's face, as he was no shaving it everyday. "Akiza. My face isn't a a rug sample." Akiza laughed. "I know Yusei, but I just wanted to feel how your face was when it was shaven." Yusei sighed. "But Akiza, I don't like it and I'd hate it if it caused you pain when we kissed." Akiza stopped rubbing Yusei's face face and smiled.

"Don't worry Yusei. I still want to kiss you just as much as I did before. And don't worry about irritation, because I know that it doesn't cause me that." Yusei looked at her skeptically. "How do you know?" Akiza raised her eyebrows. "Wanna see?" They laughed and shared a kiss on the lips. "See. No irritation!" Akiza informed him, "So don't worry Yusei. I love you and enjoy kissing you just as much as before." Yusei felt at ease and held her close as they turned back to the television.

_End Flashback_

"You know, Yusei's confident with his deck, but he's not very confident when it comes to his appearance," Akiza said to herself, "Could it be due to the fact that we're dating now? After all, he wants to make me happy." Akiza sighed. "But he hasn't really worried about how he looked for quite a while now. The bigger issue is that he has never been afraid of being affectionate with me. Even when we worried about doing it in public, Yusei didn't have any problems when being affectionate with me in private. This time, Yusei wasn't affectionate at all, and that included before the date, after the date, and during the date." Akiza sighed again and rolled onto her other side. 'Maybe when I wake up Yusei will come over and give me a kiss. Of course what are the chances of that?'

Akiza tried to get some sleep, but it took a while for it to happen. Meanwhile, Yusei laid in his bed, and knew exactly what he was going to do when he got up.

As Akiza awoke the next morning, she sighed, and didn't want to get up. Still, she forced herself to get up, and went downstairs. Her mother was busing getting pancakes ready. "What's wrong honey?" Ms. Izinski asked, "Didn't your date with Yusei go well last night?" Akiza shook her head. "Jack and Crow came along too and I think they messed with Yusei's head. He was acting so strange." Akiza's mother put some oil on the griddle. "How so?"

"He's normally all sweet and affectionate with me, but last night, he was the complete opposite. He didn't hold my hand, he didn't kiss me while we were walking, he didn't put his arm around me in the restaurant, or while we walked. He just didn't seem like the Yusei I had gotten to know." Her mother started cooking the turkey bacon. "Maybe he just wasn't feeling well last night," Ms. Izinski replied, "Maybe you'll see him today and he'll be back to his regular old self." Akiza rested her head on her hands, as her shoulders were on the table. "Maybe, but I doubt it."

After breakfast, Akiza sat on the couch, still feeling upset. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ms. Izinski went to get it. "Akiza! It's for you!" Akiza looked over her shoulder, as Yusei leaned inside. "Akiza?" he asked excitedly. Akiza slowly got up as Yusei hustled over to her. He quickly wrapped Akiza in a hug, that surprised his girlfriend. "Hey Akiza!" Yusei said cheerfully before planting a kiss on her cheek, "I love you!" Akiza managed a small smile. "I love you too Yusei." Yusei gave her another kiss. "Why don't we sit down and talk about last night?" Akiza nodded and they went to the couch. As they sat down, Yusei put his right arm around Akiza and held her close.

"Listen Akiza. I'm sorry about what happened last night. I'm sorry I was so cold and not as affectionate as I normally am. I'm sorry." Akiza looked down at her lap. "Well...I accept your apology Yusei, but why were you acting so weird last night? Were you sick?" Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza. You see, Jack and Crow came over a few days earlier and wanted me to change who I was. They wanted me to change my appearance, change what I did in my spare time, but most importantly, change what I did when you were around. They didn't want me to be sweet, affectionate, and loving to you. They wanted me to be serious and 'more like a man.' I didn't want to do it, but Jack and Crow said there would be bad things if I didn't listen to them." Akiza frowned. "They did that to you?" Yusei nodded.

"All night I felt like a caged animal. I wanted to get out and do what I always enjoyed doing. I wanted to hold your hand, hold you close to me, kiss you, hug you, and show you just how much I love you. But Jack and Crow didn't want that. I felt terrible Akiza and I felt the most guilt when I had to let go of your hand as we were walking home." Akiza nodded. "I hated that too Yusei. I worried that you might not love me anymore." She leaned on his shoulder.

"Oh Akiza," Yusei said as he watched a tear fall from his girlfriend's eye. He put a second arm around her. "Don't worry Akiza. I love you so much." He wiped her second tear from her face, as Akiza opened her eyes. "I love you so much Akiza. Don't ever think that my love for you has faded." He leaned in and kissed her lips. "All right?" Akiza nodded. "But...what will you do when Jack and Crow are around again? I mean, weren't they the ones who made you less affectionate when you were younger?" Yusei nodded.

"Yes, but I'm older now Akiza. I can stand up for myself and for what I believe in. I can make my own decisions and my own choices. Jack and Crow also talked about what other people will think about me and what their opinion is." Akiza nodded, as she wondered that as well. "But I don't care what other people think about me. I want to be an affectionate guy. I want to be myself and I want to enjoy my time with my girlfriend. This one that is right here." Yusei's smile grew as he leaned on Akiza. "The one that I love so much!" Akiza giggled. "But Yusei aren't you worried about your reputation and what people think of you? I mean, you did save the world after all?" Yusei shook his head.

"Akiza I enjoy being affectionate with you and I love giving you all the love and affection you deserve. I also love it when you give that same affection back to me. I don't care if other people see us being affectionate out in public. As long as we don't have a make out session, which we haven't, or anything more physical in public, then we're all right. We can be ourselves and the only thing people will probably think about us is, 'Those two sure do love each other.'" He looked to Akiza. "Wouldn't you want people to know that I love you and you love me?" Akiza nodded. "Especially our close family and friends," she added. Yusei agreed. "But how can we do that?" Yusei asked.

Akiza put her fingers to her chin. Yusei did as well, which meant brushing a few short hairs. They looked at one another. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded.

The following night, Jack and Crow were at Yusei's apartment. "So explain to me why we're here again and why I had to by you new clothes?" Jack asked. Yusei smiled as he finished getting ready. "I want you guys to be along with me, when I go on my date with Akiza, so that I can be sure I've gotten this 'being a man' thing down pat," Yusei replied. Jack smiled as he had his arms folded. "Well that's good. I'm glad you've decided to man up and act more like the man you should." Yusei nodded. "Akiza will be here in any minute, so make sure you've done your business and all that stuff." Sure enough, Akiza rang the doorbell a few moments later.

"Hey Akiza!" Yusei said as she stepped inside. Akiza stood by him and Yusei faced her. "So...you got new clothes again?" Akiza asked. Yusei looked to his right. "Actually Jack got them for me." Jack smiled as Akiza scanned Yusei. "I don't know if I really like it on you Yusei. It looks so unattractive." Jack came over. "Now hold on Akiza. I know Yusei doesn't look all that great right now, but give him some time to bulk up and he'll look great in just a few months." Akiza put her hand on her chin.

"Uh...I don't think so," she replied, "I think he would look better in his regular clothing. After all, he's not into tight shirts and pants. He just normally wears what feels good to him and this just isn't him." Yusei smiled as Jack growled. "Well if that's what you want Akiza, then that's what I'll do. I want you to be happy." Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "Just keep what you have on for now and I'm sure you'll love the clothing I picked out by the time your date is over." Yusei shrugged.

"I didn't feel that way after our last date, so I kind of doubt it. Besides, I want to make Akiza happy and if wearing clothing that I enjoy makes her happy, then that's what I'll do." Yusei smiled as he put an arm around Akiza. "Come on. Lets get going." Jack shrugged it off and they all went outside of Yusei's apartment. After Yusei locked the door, Akiza stood behind him. Yusei turned around and gasped in surprised. "Akiza you scared me." Akiza smiled. "Well...I hope I didn't scare you too much," she replied. Yusei laughed and put an arm around Akiza. "No. Of course not," he replied.

"Um...Yusei," Jack noted as he saw Yusei's arm around his girlfriend. Yusei heard him and started to laugh even louder. Akiza took notice and joined in. Jack frowned as he watched them walk to the elevator. Yusei didn't seem to hear him or notice what he was doing. Then again, he was laughing awfully loud, so he probably was too busy to notice. Jack just shook his head as he walked towards the elevator, with Crow was waiting for all of them to get inside. As the elevator lowered, Jack stood in-between Yusei and Akiza, hoping they would avoid being affectionate with one another. As they got out, Crow and Jack walked to the door. "Okay. So we have a little farther to go until we get..." Crow started, but stopped as he turned around.

Yusei and Akiza were staring into each other's eyes and smiling. "I love you Akiza," Yusei said softly. "I love you Yusei," Akiza replied. The two of them shared a kiss. "Yusei!" Jack shouted and the couple looked up. "Lets go!" Jack shouted and they all headed outside. As they walked, Yusei and Akiza stayed close to one another. They held hands as Jack looked over his shoulder. He rolled his eyes and face palmed himself. When they got to a red light, Yusei and Akiza got even closer to one another.

"I love you," Akiza said as she put her arms around him. "I love you too," Yusei replied. "Oh please," Jack muttered. Yusei and Akiza looked up to him and smiled at one another. As they continued walking, Jack noticed Yusei hand in hand with Akiza and they were looking back to one another constantly. Crow meanwhile, took notice of their interactions as well, but he remained quiet on the subject.

When they got to the restaurant, Jack put a finger in the air. "I will sit next to Yusei," Jack said aloud. Akiza and Yusei both shrugged and followed Jack's orders. Crow let Akiza sit on the inside as Yusei and Jack had already taken their seats. Yusei was across from Akiza and, once they ordered, Yusei left his hand on top of the table.

"So where do you plan to go next?" Yusei asked Jack and he started talking about how he was going to win in other cities across the country. As Jack bragged and continued on, Crow watched Akiza put her hand on top of the table. He watched as Yusei and Akiza let their hands become closer and closer to one another. Finally, they were hand in hand yet again, and Crow wanted to say something. But instead, he remained silent, and let Jack continue on. After about ten minutes of Jack speaking, Akiza spoke up.

"That's great Jack. I hope you do as well as you're predicting." Jack nodded. "That's right!" he added as he opened his eyes. Jack suddenly gasped, as he saw Yusei and Akiza's hands together. The couple quickly let go and hid their hands in their laps. "No! No! None of this holding hands crap across the table!" Jack yelled as he pointed at where their hands used to be. Yusei tiled his head.

"What hand holding?" Yusei asked, "I don't see anyone holding hands." Jack's eyes became slightly red as he stood up and leaned forward. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about or my name isn't Jack Atlas." He turned to Crow. "You saw what they were doing! Right Crow?" Crow heisted a moment before answering. "Saw what Jack?" Jack's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?" Yusei and Akiza were surprised by his response as well.

"You're telling me that you _never _saw Yusei and Akiza holding hands?" Jack asked. Crow's eyes narrowed. "They were?" Jack couldn't believe it! "Aww you guys all suck!" Jack said as he got out of the booth, "I've got to take a major pee." Jack stormed off as Yusei and Akiza looked at Crow. "You really didn't see us?" Akiza asked in surprise. Crow gave him a thumbs up and a wink. "Don't worry about it," he replied and Akiza and Yusei smiled. "So you really don't have a problem with what we're doing?" Akiza asked as she leaned in closer to Crow.

"Nah. I think it's great you two are so happy together." Crow watched as Jack came out of the bathroom. "Well...he's back," Crow muttered as Jack sat back down. "My food better come soon or I'll be _really pissed," _Jack muttered under his breath.

Luckily, things didn't come to that, and the food was excellent. It calmed Jack down a bit and they found themselves leaving about 20 minutes later. As they walked back, Jack looked around, and stopped walking. "Oh come on!" Jack said as Yusei and Akiza were hugging in the middle of the block. They said some more "I love you's" and continued walking again. They made a green light and, just as they started walking down the next block, they stopped again for a brief kiss.

"This is embarrassing," Jack muttered as other people walked by the happy couple. Before they made it to the end of the block, yet again, Akiza and Yusei stopped for some affection. Jack turned to Crow. "Isn't this disgusting Crow?"

"Actually I think it's kind of cute." Jack's eyes grew wide. "Crow Hogan! You did not just say that!" Crow looked at him and then at the couple. "Yes I did," he replied, "And I am happy for them." Jack looked stunned for a moment. "I'm happy that Yusei's opened himself up and showing his affectionate side again. He looks so happy with Akiza and she looks so happy with him. I really hope I can find someone who can me as happy as those two are together." Crow turned to Jack, who's stunned face turned angry.

"All right that's it!" he exclaimed and pointed towards Yusei and Akiza, "If you two do that one more time I'm going to kick the crap our of both of you." Yusei and Akiza broke out of their romantic moment and quickly caught up to Jack and Crow. "Hmph!" Jack huffed as he turned around and folded his arms, "That's better!" Yusei and Akiza kept walking, thinking that their fun for the night was over. Crow took a few steps back, until the three of them were side by side.

"Just follow my lead," Crow whispered. Yusei and Akiza looked at him. "What are you talking about Crow?" Yusei asked. Crow put a finger to his lips and shushed them. "Just do as I say. We're going to take another way home. _A long way home."_ Yusei and Akiza understood as Crow raised his voice. "So Jack, tell us about your victory a few weeks ago." Jack smiled.

"Well of course," he replied, "I can always make time to recollect my victories. It all started when..."

As Jack continued, Crow pointed to a back alley way. Yusei and Akiza nodded. "That's great Jack. Keep going!" Yusei encouraged him, before turning to his left. "Yeah. It's...great," Akiza added and she locked hands with Yusei, as they headed down the alleyway. Jack continued talking for another couple of blocks. "And that's yet another victory in the Jack Atlas History Book. Now who wants to hear some..." He turned around and didn't see Yusei, Akiza, or Crow. "Hey you guys! Where did you go?"

Yusei and Akiza followed Crow down a couple of side streets. Even though Yusei and Akiza had lived in New Domino City for a few years now, it felt as though Crow knew the streets better than they did. "Are you sure you know where you're going?" Akiza asked as they followed him. Crow nodded. "I know these streets like the back of my hand." They all stopped at a corner and Crow face the couple. Yusei wasn't sure if Crow was going to be happy about them being affectionate. "Crow can we..."

"Just do what you always do," Crow replied, "I don't care. I hate seeing you guys having to hold back on your true feelings." Yusei and Akiza smiled, before Akiza's smile faded. "But what about Jack? Won't he be waiting for us?" Crow smiled as he folded his arms. "Don't worry. I guarantee you he won't be there when we get back. Now, just follow me, but pretend I'm not here."

Yusei and Akiza followed and they soon found themselves lost in another's eyes. They came to a stop, in the middle of a block. Crow turned around, but unlike Jack, watched with a smile on his face. When Akiza and Yusei were done sharing another hug, Crow gave them a thumbs up, and they continued on their way. Yusei and Akiza stopped again a short while later and so did Crow. He watched as a few people walked by, giving both him and his friends a look. Still, Yusei and Akiza didn't seem to notice or care and neither did Crow.

A little while later, Crow sat with Yusei and Akiza on a bench, near a small park. They looked around on a gorgeous, spring night. Akiza and Yusei had their arms around one another and smiled as Crow sat a short ways away, on the same bench. "Wow! I never knew this route could lead us to the park," Akiza said in amazement. Yusei and Akiza looked at Crow. "Thanks for taking us here Crow!" Yusei added, with happiness in his voice.

Crow had his hands behind his head. His biceps showed the muscles in his arms, which was more than Akiza and Yusei put together. He smiled as he looked up at the night sky. "It's no big deal," he replied, "I'm just glad that you two got to spend some romantic time together." Yusei was confused. "But I thought you wanted me to be more like a man!" Yusei reminded him, "So what changed your mind?" Crow smiled as he looked at two of his friends.

"I just saw how happy you two were when you were around one another. I love seeing the joy on both of your faces as soon as you guys tell me about spending time with the one another, no matter how far apart you guys are." Crow's smile faded. "I didn't see those same feelings the other night though. When I saw Yusei let go of Akiza's hand a few nights ago, I felt sick to my stomach. I only acted with Jack, so he wouldn't get mad at me. I hope you two will forgive me."

"We forgive you Crow," Yusei responded, "So don't worry about it." Crow breathed a sigh of relief. "To be honest," Crow continued, "I'm a little jealous of you two. You're always so happy together and are willing to put everything else aside to be with and spend time for one another." He looked up. "I hope I can find someone who loves me like that someday. Although you two got lucky and had two marks on your arms bring you two together. I have to go and find someone on my own." Akiza and Yusei smiled. "Well, we want you to know that we're right behind you Crow," Akiza replied. "Yeah. I feel the same," Yusei added. Crow smiled at them. "Thanks you guys."

They all smiled at one another for a moment. "By the way, how do you think Jack's doing without us coming home?" Akiza questioned. Crow laughed. "Don't worry. I'm sure he won't be able to last a few more minutes waiting for us to get home. Besides, anything to make Jack go ballistic is fun my book." Yusei and Akiza looked out at the tall towers. "I still wonder how Jack's doing," Yusei said quietly.

Back at the Tops, Jack stood in the lobby. "I can't believe this! Where are those guys?! It's getting late and I'm tired of waiting for them!" A few men come over to him. "Excuse me sir, but we've had a number of people complaining about your constant yelling. We're going to ask you nicely to please take it outside, where you will not disturb them." Jack was even more infuriated. "What! Take it outside!" Jack screamed, "But I'm just waiting..."

"Lets take him outside boys," the security guard said as two large men, even bigger than Jack, lifted him from under his armpits. Another one helped by putting his arms around his waist and two others helped with Jack's flailing arms. "Ugh!" Jack grunted as the men lifted him towards the door.

"I hate you Crow!" Jack shouted at the top of his lungs.

**A/N: As I said at the beginning of the Chapter, the focus will now shift to Luna and Dexter.**

**I hope you'll come back to read them and I hope you're enjoying the story so far!  
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	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38!  
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**********Shinn Tsukishiro********: I actually didn't plan on Crow helping Yusei and Akiza sneak away, but I ended up getting it in at the last minute. Glad you enjoyed it!  
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**KaiFudo16: Jack did deserve it for being a jerk and not letting Yusei and Akiza be themselves.  
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**drytacos: They'll be in every now and again, so don't worry!  
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****************tom . zhu. 509****:********** Sorry and I'm sorry again.  
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**A/N: This Chapter and the next will mostly focus on the the twins and Dexter. Hope you enjoy it!  
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Akiza's summer online class started a couple weeks later. Yusei was with her the night it opened up and Akiza took a deep breath, as they stared at her laptop screen. "I'm really nervous," Akiza said as she looked at the course syllabus. Yusei smiled and put an arm around her. "Don't worry Akiza. I'll do everything I can do to help." Akiza turned to him. "But Yusei, this isn't like the last time we worked together on a class. We both learned about chemistry and physics together, besides maybe the more basic stuff. This time, however, I know a lot more things than you do." Yusei nodded.

"I know, but if I can help you with a question here or there, it could help you get better than a 'C' in the class." Akiza agreed, as she looked back at the screen. "I know. So lets get to work. It looks like there's a syllabus quiz to start, so that shouldn't be too hard." They worked together on the quiz and got a ten out of ten. "A perfect score!" Yusei said as he wrapped Akiza in a hug. She laughed. "Thanks Yusei. It was really nice to have you help me on it." They shared a kiss on the lips.

"I guess that's everything for tonight," Akiza said once she closed her laptop. "We can work on it some more in a few days." Yusei nodded. "Would it be all right if I see you before then?" Akiza smiled. "Of course Yusei. I love seeing and hearing from you." They hugged and shared another kiss. "Although, don't make it too frequent that we get tired of each other," Akiza reminded him. Yusei rolled his eyes. "Okay," he replied, "But I could never get tired of being with you." Akiza shrugged her shoulders and they shared one final kiss as they said goodbye.

A couple weeks after that, Leo and Luna arrived back home from London. Yusei and Akiza were working hard on her class and Akiza could tell that she was doing better than last time. Yusei helped her use her book on a tough exam and they ended up getting a solid B. Leo and Luna arrived a few days after the exam and they met up with Akiza and Yusei at the airport.

"Any big plans this Summer?" Akiza questioned Luna. She shook her head. "No. Just doing what we always do," she replied. Unknown to her, Leo _did _have some plans for the Summer, besides maybe Turbo Dueling in a local league. As they rode home together in silence, Leo thought about his plan.

'I want Dexter to tell Luna how he feels about her,' Leo thought, 'He seems so happy around Luna. When he was alone and we didn't stay in touch very well, he seemed so sad and alone. As soon as Luna started calling him almost everyday to check in, he seems to be doing a lot better.' He thought back to last Summer, when Dexter told him that he wasn't good enough for her. Leo looked at his sister, who was looking at the window.

'I know Dexter's just being honest, but I really think he should tell her how he feels about her. After all, Luna really seems to enjoy spending time with him as well, so she probably has a good chance of feeling the same way.' He checked the time. 'I'm going to have to convince him when I don't have any Turbo Dueling things,' he reminded himself, 'But I know, without a doubt, Dexter _will _tell Luna what he has already told me.' He watched as the limo sped up towards the Tops.

Later, Leo invited Dexter over and reminded him to get some "welcome home flowers" for his sister. Dexter had almost totally forgot about them, but he figured he'd better, otherwise Leo would be upset. When he arrived at the Tops, Leo was there to meet him. "Hey Dexter. Good to see ya," Leo said with a fist bump.

"Good to see you too Leo," Dexter replied. He looked inside and watched as Luna came over to him. "Here you go Luna," he added as he leaned the flowers towards her. She smiled and smelled them. "Thank you so much Dexter! That's really sweet of you." Dexter blushed slightly, but Leo spotted it and grew a smile. 'I guess Dexter must still think of her as beautiful,' Leo thought, 'If I only I knew exactly what Luna thought of him.'

Once Dexter left and they had eaten lunch together, Leo sat with Luna as she sat on her laptop. Leo looked over at her. "Hey Luna," Leo started, "What do you think of Dexter?" Luna smiled. "I think he's a really great guy," she replied, "He's kind, caring, and considerate." Leo smiled. "So...would you ever think about telling him this?" Luna turned to her brother. "I've already told him those things," Luna answered, "Multiple times. I know he doesn't have much self-confidence, but he should know that he has some very good qualities about him."

Leo remembered Dexter saying that "lots of guys have those same qualities." But did Luna feel more than those feelings than that? Leo wanted to press her more, but at the same time, didn't want to reveal Dexter's hidden feelings for her. Leo really wanted to continue the conversation, but he ultimately decided to hold back. "Why did you want to know?" Luna asked as Leo sat silent for a few moments.

"Just wondering," he replied, "Especially since you like the hang around Dexter a lot and check in with him. So, I was just curious as to what you thought about him." Leo got up and went upstairs. Once he was gone, Luna turned to side and blushed. There _was_ more to that she wanted to say, but not to her brother. The only person she could tell was Dexter himself.

A few days later, Leo felt the growing pressure of getting Dexter to tell Luna how he felt about her. He knew that his Turbo Dueling League, which he had signed up for, was starting in only a couple of days. That would leave him pretty limited in the amount of free time that he had. Not to mention it would be best for both Luna and Dexter to be able to spend an entire Summer together, as opposed to it being a last minute thing. Leo secretly called Dexter that night and asked if he could come over tomorrow afternoon. He made sure it would be during a time that Luna wasn't going to be around, so that she wouldn't hear what they were talking about.

When Luna headed off to get some groceries the following morning, Leo made sure to get her out the door as quick as possible."Bye!" Leo said as his sister stepped out of the apartment, "Be sure to get lots of food!" Leo waved as his sister went into the elevator. When she was out of sight, Leo sighed of relief, as Dexter would be over in about half an hour. Sure enough, Dexter was right on time and Leo smiled when he met him at the door.

"Hey Dexter! Glad you could come over!" Dexter shrugged, as he didn't have anything better to do. No job and no school left him with a lot of free time on his own. "It's no big deal," he replied. His face suddenly lit up. "Hey! Is Luna around?" Leo bit his tongue. "No...but that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," Leo replied, "Come on. Lets go outside." Leo and Dexter headed for the elevator. "What is it? What do you want to talk about Leo?" Dexter questioned.

"Just wait and see," Leo answered and they waited until they reached the ground floor. "Come on. Why don't we take a walk?" Dexter felt a bit uneasy, as he felt as though he might be in trouble. Leo could sense Dexter's uneasiness and decided to get him relaxed. "Beautiful day?" Leo asked. "Y...yeah," Dexter replied, still feeling nervous. Leo led them outside and onto the sidewalk. They walked up the block as they talked.

"So...did you enjoy talking to my sister while we were away?" Leo questioned. Dexter sheepishly nodded. "Yes, but I feel guilty about it. She had to stay up late to talk to me and that probably made her tired at school. I really feel bad about it." Leo smiled as he turned to him. "Don't worry Dexter. I know that Luna really enjoyed doing that for you." They stopped at a red light. "Do you enjoy spending time with her during the Summer?" Leo wondered aloud. Dexter was a little nervous talking to him about being with his sister.

"Yeah. I mean, she's really nice about wanting to take me places and she enjoyed watching me play video games. At the same time, I feel like I'm a burden." Leo gasped just at the light turned green. "A burden? Why would you be a burden?" Dexter looked down and they made their way across the crosswalk. "I feel like I'm forcing her to spend time with me and take me places. I know we've been friends for a long time, but that doesn't mean that she _has _to do these things for me. If she wanted to make new friends and be with them, then I don't mind. I don't want to be a burden to her." Leo frowned.

"Dexter. First of all, I really don't think that Luna feels as though you are a burden. Second, Luna and I haven't made many new friends in London, because we know that we're going to be moving back here someday." Dexter grew a small smile. "We spend time with you, because you live here and, like you said Dexter, we've been friends for a long time. But I know that Luna wants to spend time with you, because she wants to, not because she has to. Also, I think that spending time with you makes her happy." Dexter looked up at Leo. "Are you sure? I mean, isn't there other things that she might want to do instead?" Leo shook his head.

"I've seen her Dexter and everytime she finishes talking to you, she's really happy." Dexter smiled at Leo for a moment. "Well...that's good. I'd hate to make her upset." They walked a few blocks without saying a word. Finally, Leo stopped and Dexter took a few steps, before walking back towards Leo. "Why did you stop?" Dexter asked. Leo smiled.

"Dexter, do you like Luna?" Dexter gasped at the response and his face turned red. Leo tried to keep himself from laughing, as he knew he was going to enjoy this. "You do like her! Don't you!" Dexter leaned in close. "Shh! Not so loud!" Leo put his hands on his hips. "So, why don't you tell her?" Dexter shook his head. "I can't Leo! You know that! She's way too good for me!" Leo just shook his head knowingly. "It doesn't matter Dexter! Just tell her!" Dexter shook his head.

"No! Don't you get it? If I tell her and she says 'no', what happens next? Will she still want to be my friend? How will she see me? She'll think I'm some pervert who enjoys staring at her in her tiny short shorts! Okay?! And I don't want that! I don't want to ruin everything that Luna has done for me, especially with the bullying and teasing me! W..." Dexter stuck his arms out. "What is she going to do when I tell her? She'll probably just laugh in my face!" Dexter turned around and sighed. Leo put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm positive she wouldn't laugh at you Dexter. She cares about you too much to do that." Dexter shook his head. "Still...I could never tell her."

"You never know Dexter. Maybe she feels the same way." Dexter sighed. "Yeah. In my dreams." Leo put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Dexter. What would you do if she ended up with another guy?" He shrugged. "I'd probably be happy for her. After all, Luna deserves someone nice to hang out with." Leo rolled his eyes. "But wouldn't you like it to have you be that guy?" Dexter blushed. "Well...yeah..." Leo grinned. "And how could you end up with her? By telling her that he likes her." Dexter was still a bit unsure. "I don't know. I'm not the best looking guy out there and what will she do when I tell her?"

"Luna doesn't care about looks Dexter," Leo replied, "She's the girl who doesn't bat an eye when popular guys whistle or try to hit on her when we go to school. Some of those guys got huge arms and are totally ripped, but Luna doesn't care about them at all. If that doesn't tell you that she doesn't care about looks, I don't know what does." Dexter bit his lip. "But what about her reaction? What if she doesn't feel the same way?" Leo looked Dexter in the eye. "I'm sure that if you explain to Luna your feelings, no matter if she returns them or not, she will do it in a kind and caring matter. After all, isn't Luna a caring person already?" Dexter nodded as Leo continued. "If she cares about you so much that she is willing to stay up until late night, just to ask you how your day was, then that seems like a pretty caring person to me. If she cares about you enough to do that, then I'm sure she'll be very considerate of your feelings Dexter." Dexter looked at Leo. "You sure?"

Leo nodded. "Positive. Now why don't go and tell her how you feel about her?" Dexter nodded, but it wasn't very convincing. "At the very least you'll get to see her in her tiny short shorts," Leo said with a wink. Dexter blushed at the thought. "Okay...I will..." he replied a bit nervously. He then turned around and headed for the Tops. Leo put his hands on his hips and smiled. He had finally convinced Dexter to tell Luna about his feelings for her. Suddenly, Leo's phone rang.

"Hello?" Leo asked. "Leo! It's Justin. I'm over in London." Leo looked around. "Hey Justin! What's going on?" Justin sounded in a panic. "Leo! Your parents are flying back to London to check in on you!" Leo gasped. "What? But why? They haven't talked to us for years!" Justin didn't know what to say. "My best guess is that they want to be sure that you've been living in London this whole time. After all, you guys aren't 18 yet, which means your parents still decide where you can live."

"But our 18th Birthday is in the Fall!" Leo shouted, "That's only a few months away! Why do they need to check in on us now, when we can decide where to live in just a few months?" Justin understood. "I know Leo, but like I said, you guys aren't old enough to be deciding where you can live. Technically, you shouldn't have been in New Domino City during the summer either, since your parents signed an agreement that ordered you to live in London. You two could get in really big trouble if your parents find out what you've been doing and I'll be in even more trouble." Leo rolled his eyes. "I don't care!" Leo shouted, "Have them come over and see that we left! It would just show them that they're terrible parents anyways!" Justin quickly disagreed with Leo's statement. "No! No! No! You can't do that Leo! They could legally force you to come back to London, where you will be forced to stay until you're 18. Also, your parents might try to sign a new rent agreement, as revenge for what you did, as well as keeping a closer eye on the two of you."

"So what should I do?" Leo questioned. Justin gulped. "Get on the next flight to London out of New Domino City's airport. They won't be here until tomorrow, so you could still make it across the pond in time. You'll have to tell Luna to come along as well." Leo looked the direction where Dexter was heading. "Yeah...but..."

"There's no time for 'buts' Leo! Get your butts over here so that you can convince your parents that you've been living here the entire time, just like they had ordered. If they believe you, then they'll probably leave you alone for good. If you don't, then you could get into a lot of trouble. Not to mention the fact that your parents might try to be more strict or keep a closer eye on you." Leo felt himself start to sweat. His mind wasn't on what Justin was saying. It was on what _Dexter _was going to be saying. "Okay. I'll start looking up flight times," Leo replied. He thanked Justin for the heads up and then stared at his phone.

'What should I do?' Leo thought, 'If I call Luna, then Dexter might not be able to tell her about his feelings. If I don't call, then it could be trouble for the both of us!' Leo looked at his phone. "I'll book a flight!" Leo decided, "Maybe that will give Dexter just enough time to talk to Luna!" He went to a bench and went to the airport's site, to help him look up what flights were leaving soon.

As Dexter headed back to the Tops, he was both nervous and excited. He wanted to tell Luna about his feelings for her, but he wasn't sure how. How would he start the conversation or bring the subject up? As Dexter stood in front of the tall apartment, he talked to himself. "Okay Dexter. You can do this. Like Leo said, she will understand, even if she doesn't feel the same way." Dexter's confident face lost it's confidence. "Of course, if she doesn't feel the same way, then I'll be a totally humiliated." He ran inside, hoping that the less time he spent worrying about Luna's response, the better he would feel.

Luna had just came home from buying groceries and was busy putting them away. As she got done with the last couple of items, there was a knock at the door. "Coming!" she replied. Luna was a bit surprised that Leo wasn't there when she got back. Knowing Leo, however, he was probably searching for something fun to do. When she opened the door, she looked down and smiled. "Dexter! I'm so glad to see you! Have you heard from Leo at all?" Dexter nodded. "We took a walk together and I think he'll be back in a little while." Luna was intrigued.

"So, if Leo's off shopping, then why are you here? Did he forget something?" Dexter looked down nervously. "Umm...well...we were talking and something got brought up. I was hoping that I could talk to you about it. So...could I talk to you about something?" Luna nodded. "Of course Dexter. I just finished putting the groceries back. Come on in!" Dexter blushed slightly as Luna let him in. 'She's just so sweet,' Dexter thought.

Luna ran up ahead of Dexter. "Take a seat on the couch," Luna offered. Dexter nodded and took a seat. Luna sat down next to him and scooted closer to him. "So what did you want to talk about?" Luna wondered. Dexter looked away. "Um...well...see..." He turned back towards Luna, avoiding eye contact with her. "I..." He gulped. "I really wanted to thank you for all the advice and encouragement you gave to me over the years. It...really meant a lot to me and your advice was wonderful. And now, you check in on me everyday, just to see how I'm doing. So...I wanted to say thank you for that. So here goes." He paused for a brief moment. "Thank you."  
>Luna's mouth curved into a smile.<p>

"You're very welcome Dexter. I enjoyed doing those things for you. It doesn't surprise me that someone as kindhearted as you would come over to thank me." Dexter blushed. "Well...I didn't just come over for that," Dexter replied, "I also came to...to..." Dexter was struggling. He wanted to say those three little words, but he was afraid. "I wanted to say..." Luna put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it Dexter?" Dexter took a quick breath and finally dived in.

"I wanted to say that I've really enjoyed the time we've spent together over the past few years. And I wanted you to know that..." He closed his eyes. "I think you're a really great person. You're a kind, sweet, loving young woman. You're extremely beautiful and your smile is a joy to look at. You've done so much for me and you've made me so happy. Everyday I look forward to your call and I have enjoyed getting to talk to you, even if it's the same boring things repeated over and over. If nothing happened during the day or if I don't have much to say, you still manage to say something that keeps me on the phone a little while longer. I've enjoy getting to spend time with you when you came back to New Domino City and I'm happy that you've shown interest in things that I enjoy, even if they truly are boring. You're an amazingly beautiful woman with a body that could get any guy." He took a moment to think of how to finish his speech. "I...I don't know what to say or how to say it, but I hope you understand, that I like you. I really really like you and I hope you're not mad at me for feeling that way."

Luna took a moment for it to sink in. Dexter was saying that he loved her. _Even without saying those three specific words, Luna got the message loud and clear._ She admired the fact that Dexter enjoyed her, not only for her body, but her personality too. It was something that she was undoubtedly looking for in a guy. Luna also gave him credit for having the confidence to come and tell her this. As she watched Dexter waiting in nervousness, with his eyes closed tight, Luna wanted nothing more than to put his mind at ease. She wanted to make him happy and bring a smile to his face.

"Dexter. I..." Instantly, the phone rang. Dexter's eyes opened and Luna turned to her phone. "It's okay," she replied, "Just ignore it." Dexter shook his head. "It's okay," he answered back, "You should answer it. It might be important." He scooted away, as her phone continued to ring on the end table. Luna's eyebrows lowered and she had a sympathetic smile. Even when Dexter was saying something very important to her, he was still a gentleman. Luna reluctantly went to her phone answered it.

"Hello?" she asked as she answered the phone "Leo! What is it?" She waited a moment as Leo talked to her. "They are! But we're not 18!" She paused "Uh huh." Suddenly, Luna gasped. "Right now?" she questioned as she looked over at Dexter. His face lowered in guilt, as though he had done something wrong. "Leo. Are you sure?" Luna frowned as she got a response. "I see," she responded in disappointment, "I'll get there as soon as possible. Okay. Bye." She hung up.

"What's wrong?" Dexter asked, "What's going on?" Luna set the phone down. "Our parents are flying to London, to check in on us. Since we're not 18, we can't be deciding where we live. If they find out that we've been gone all this time, then we'll be in huge trouble. Leo and I have to fly back to London as soon as possible and the next flight leaves in about an hour." Dexter's heart sank. "So...you'll probably want to be going," Dexter concluded. Luna nodded and saw Dexter's upset look. She quickly scooted closer to him and grabbed his hand.

"Dexter," she said as he looked up to her. Luna spotted Dexter's other hand and grabbed it with her free hand. She did her best to look as happy as she could. "I will not forget about what you have said to me and I promise that, when I get back, the first thing I'll do is continue our conversation." Dexter blushed. "Um...okay," he replied, as he looked down at his lap. Luna's smile didn't leave her face. "I'll try to contact you as soon as I can, but I want to keep what you said to me private until I get back. All right?" Dexter nodded and they had to reluctantly let go of their hands. Luna stood up.

"How long will you be gone?" Dexter asked in a slightly disappointed tone. Luna shrugged. "It shouldn't take very long," she replied, "But don't worry Dexter. I'll try to contact you as soon as possible." One of the clocks in the house rang the time and they both knew it was a sign that Luna had to be going. Dexter looked down as Luna's face turned sour. "I guess I'd better get going," she said reluctantly. Luna ran towards the door and Dexter slumped over even more.

"Do you think you could lock the door for me when you leave?" Luna asked politely. "Sure," Dexter replied with no emotions. Luna looked over her shoulder and saw him slumped over. She couldn't imagine what Dexter was feeling right now. "Well...goodbye," she replied awkwardly. "Bye," Dexter replied again with no emotion. The door closed and Dexter fell back against the couch, before falling on his side.

"Why does this always have to happen to me?" he wondered out loud to himself. He then started to cry.

**A/N: I know it's a sad ending, so please don't be mad at me.**

**I hope you'll come back for the second part and thank you for your time and patience.  
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	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39!  
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**drytacos: I'm happy too and, don't worry about spelling. Just the review makes me smile.  
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****Shinn Tsukishiro**: I felt sorry for him too. Thanks for the great review and I hope you're enjoying the story!  
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**A/N: Here's part 2!  
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AsLuna went outside, Leo was waiting for her. "Come on! Lets go!" he said as they climbed into the limo. Luna and Leo sat down quietly as the limo headed for the airport. Leo looked over and saw Luna's sad expression. 'I wonder what happened,' Leo thought, 'Maybe Dexter told her already.' Leo smiled.

"So...anything happen at all since I called?" Luna shook her head. "I think it's terrible that our parents decided to randomally check in on us like this. Of course, they probably thought we'd leave anyways." Leo looked out the window. "Maybe so, but we've got a flight in a short while. We should be back before they arrive. Once that's all over, we can head back home." Luna nodded slightly. "Yeah. Okay," she replied somberly.

Luna looked out the window. She couldn't imagine what Dexter was doing right now. She hoped he wasn't going balistic and throwing stuff like a wild animal. Then again, that was never really Dexter. He could get mad and angry, but not throwing stuff. Luna looked down at her lap. She had to think of how she was going to tell Dexter that she recepicated his feelings. She knew that she should come off kind and gentle. Of course, seeing Dexter smile and become excited would make her very happy. At the same time though, she wanted to respect his feelings, especially after she had to leave as soon as he told her.

Leo and Luna made it to the airport and Leo showed them the tickets he had printed at the library. They were quickly boarded and only had to wait about 15 minutes before takeoff. In that time, Luna thought about how to tell Dexter how she felt. She decided, once it was okay for them to use electronics, to call him.

"I'm going to call Dexter," Luna said as she took out her phone. Leo took notice of this, but did not bug her or ask about why she was calling. Luna opened her phone and selected Dexter's number. When she put the phone up to her ear, there was a voice, that was not Dexter's.

"Your phone has temporarily been deactivated." Luna stared at the screen and then at Leo. "My phone's not working!" Luna cried and Leo took the phone. "Why would it be deactivated?" Leo wondered, "We didn't do anything to it!" Luna thought for a moment. "Well...who's technically paying for it?" Leo's eyes grew wide.

"Our parents! They probably didn't want us to try and fly back to London!" Luna looked confused. "But couldn't they alert airlines about us or something else? I mean, why our phones?" Leo tried to use other functions on her phone. "I can't go online or anything," Leo replied, "I must have gotten the tickets and called you just before they disconnected our service." He got out his phone and couldn't use it either. "I guess we'll have to go without it until we reach London." Luna sighed.

'Oh Dexter. He's probably worried that I haven't talked to him by now.'

Back home, Dexter had locked the apartment, just like Luna had asked, and he had already made it home. All that work for nothing and he even questioned how the events had lined up. 'Isn't it kind of strange that Luna gets a call the moment I finally tell her that I like her? Could it have possibly been planned?' After a moment, Dexter shook his head. "No," he said to himself, "Luna wouldn't do that. Besides, if she doesn't feel the same way as me, all she had to do was say no." He then remembered that he had talked to Leo before it happened. "Leo could have called..." He shook his head again. "No way. Leo wouldn't do that kind of thing to me." He looked towards the phone.

"All I have to do is wait for Luna to call back. After all, she said she would try to call me as soon as she can." Dexter decided to stay home for the rest of the day, anticipating Luna's call. He waited and waited, but no call came. 'I wonder if something happened,' Dexter thought, 'Maybe she doesn't want to call me, because she doesn't like me.' He frowned and started to worry.

As Leo and Luna got off the plane, they quickly rushed over to the their apartment. When they got there, they caught their breath as they stood in the lobby. "Leo! Luna!" Justin cried as he ran up to them. They both looked up. "Justin! Are our parents here yet?" Leo asked as he clutched onto both of Justin's shoulders. Justin shook his head. "No! They're coming tomorrow morning. I had to say that you guys were out shopping and had to take a message. That's how I learned about them coming here." Leo let go of Justin and took a deep breath. "Well that's good. Our phones don't work, because our parents cut them off for some dumb reason." Leo turned to his sister. "Come on sis. Lets go to bed. I'm tired." Luna nodded and they headed upstairs.

When they got to their beds, it was about 1 in the morning. Luna knew she could try to call Dexter, but she yawned as she sat on her bed. "I'll wait until morning," she said to herself and she crawled into bed.

Across the pond, Dexter was staring at the phone. "Come on Luna! I think Yusei and Akiza want to know what's going on as well!" He checked the time and realized how late it was in London. "Screw it. I'll just wait until tomorrow." Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Dexter went to it. He opened the door to find Yusei and Akiza at the door. "Hey Dexter," Yusei answered, "Can we talk to you?" Dexter gulped. 'Oh no! Luna sent them to tell me the fact that she doesn't like me.'

"Uh...sure come on in," he replied and let the couple into his apartment. They took a seat on the couch and Dexter followed them. "Dexter. Have you see Leo or Luna today?" Yusei asked. Dexter nodded. "I did," he replied, "When I visited Luna, she said that their parents were having a surprise visit back to London and they had to fly back in order to keep them from finding out they've been flying back to New Domino City. They left around one or two o'clock." Yusei smiled.

"Okay good," he replied, "I was getting worried." Dexter was surprised. "Worried?" Akiza nodded. "Yeah. Leo and Luna weren't at home when I came over to visit Yusei. We couldn't contact them on our cell phones, so we figured you might know something. I know that we're both relieved to know that they're okay. Have you heard from them since?" Dexter shook his head. "No. Luna said she would contact me as soon as she could. Their plane should have landed by now, so...I don't know what's up." He looked down in his lap.

"Dexter," Akiza said as the couple moved closer to him, "I'm sure everything's fine. We tried to contact them too, so it's not like you're the only one who can't get a hold of them." Dexter nodded. "I know, but..." Dexter remembered his promise to Luna. "I...just want to make sure that Luna's all right." Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. "Don't worry Dexter," Yusei spoke up, "Luna can take care of herself, but I'm sure that something very important happened. Heck, maybe their parents are already there."

"Maybe," Dexter replied, before the two people in love stood up. "It's getting late," Akiza replied, "Why don't you go to bed and that way, when you get up, Luna might have left a message for you." Dexter nodded. "There's nothing to worry about," Yusei added as he ruffled Dexter's hair a little bit, "Luna cares a lot about you and I'm sure she wouldn't do something that would hurt your feelings." Dexter nodded. "Okay. Thanks for checking in on me you guys." Yusei nodded. "Anytime." Akiza and Yusei walked out of the apartment. As Yusei closed the door, Akiza spoke up.

"Did you notice how worried Dexter was about Luna?" Akiza asked as Yusei returned to her side. Yusei's head went up and down. "I did. I get the feeling that Dexter might have a little bit of a crush on Luna." Akiza laughed. "I feel the same way." Yusei turned to her. "It wouldn't be the first time we've agreed on something like this." They both laughed and shared a kiss on the lips.

Early the next morning, Leo and Luna got up at around 9 o'clock. "Are you sure you wanna wear that?" Luna questioned as Leo was wearing a Turbo Dueling outfit. He nodded. "What about you?" he asked as he eyed her outfit. Luna smirked. "It's fine," she replied and looked out the window. Around an hour later, there was a knock at the door and it quickly opened. "Hello Leo and Luna," the twin's mother said, "How are you guys?" The twins both got up from the couch. "My. My. You two sure have grown." Leo and Luna frowned. "Why did you guys suddenly decide to come here?" Leo questioned.

"We just wanted to check in on you and make sure that you're staying here, as we had asked you to do," the twin's father responded, "We thought London would help you two see what should really be your true values. Of course, that doesn't appear to be the case." He looked at Leo and Luna and their attire. Leo stood tall in his uniform and Luna stood straight in her short shorts. "I see that your dreams haven't changed Leo." Leo went up to his father.

"Dad. You're my father. I know you had plans for my future, but I just don't agree with them. I want to go my own way and pick my own career. I want to become a Turbo Duelist. Why can't you just support my dreams instead of getting mad at me?" Leo's father put a hand on his shoulder. "But son. Turbo Dueling is dangerous, no matter how advanced the suits and helmets become. I don't want to see you get hurt riding them or worse. You're 17, soon to be 18. You think you're invincible and that you can do anything without facing consequences. That's simply not true. You can get hurt and your mom, Luna, and I don't want to see you get hurt on the track. Please Leo. I don't want to see you end up in a hospital." Leo bit his lip.

"Dad. I know that you're concerned about me. I know Mom and Luna are too. At the same time, sometimes you have to take risks. Being a Turbo Duelist is my dream. I grew up watching Jack Atlas dueling and I soon caught onto my friend Yusei, granted he doesn't Turbo Duel anymore." Leo continued before his Dad could get in on his last fact. "But I still want to do it. It's fun and exciting. I've wanted to do it for a long time and it's my dream. I have the tools and resources to do well and I know that Luna supports me. So, please Dad, I'm begging you. Just support me and my dreams. You don't have to like it, but I just ask that you support me." Leo's Dad thought for a moment.

"I'm sorry Leo. I just can't. I just can't agree with it. It's just too dangerous and I cannot support it." Leo frowned as his father turned to his sister. "Now Luna. I know that you're a young woman that cares about her looks. But I really don't think that your love of short shorts is a good thing. It sends the wrong message to guys and will make them want to be with you, and not because of your personality. They might want to attack you or hurt you physically. Like with Leo, I don't want to see something bad happen to you. I know you're a teenager and want to stick up for yourself, but I just am looking out for your well being." Luna frowned.

"Dad. I understand that you care about my well being and want me to be safe. But I wear what feels good for me and is comfortable. I know it's not a super common thing, but my legs are very warm. If I go out in warm weather, they will sweat really easily if I wear long pants. If I wear shorts during the winter, my legs don't get cold. They're comfortable for me and I don't mind. I know guys might try to look at me and hit on me, but I've turned them all down. I make sure to keep myself safe and I make sure that I know my surroundings. If I have to go out at night, Leo goes with me. I make sure I don't go to any suspicious places or get into any dangerous situations. Plus, thankfully, my height makes it a little intimidating, when I'm taller than the person who could attack me. All I ask is that you respect what I wear and let me wear what I enjoy." Her mother stepped up to her father's side.

"Luna. I love you, but I really don't want you wearing that kind of clothing. You should wear something more reserved and less showing off of your..." She wiggled her hands. "Legs. I mean, they're definitely something that a guy would stare at. You should really wear something different." Leo got close to his sister. "Well we're just going to have to agree to disagree," Leo replied, "It's as simple as that."

"No. It's not just that simple," their father replied, "You guys aren't heading down the right path and we had hoped that things would turn out better for you here in London." Luna looked firmly at her Dad. "But why did you disconnect our phones?" Luna questioned. Her mother answered the question. "We wanted to be sure that you wouldn't send someone to try and lie to us about living here. We also were a little suspicious about the fact that you weren't here the first time we called, so we took action. Apparently we were wrong." Luna and Leo smiled at one another.

"Well...we've been here," Leo replied, "And we are who we are Dad. You can never change that." Luna nodded. "Yeah. So, just let us be who we want to be." Their father put his hands in the air. "I can't. I mean...we tried to make sure that you guys had the best tutors in the world and we called you when you were 13, hoping that you would follow in our footsteps. When we found out that you didn't want to do that, we feared both for your safety and for what was right for you. You stayed here for another 5 years and you still haven't change. I'm sorry Leo and Luna, but you're not the kind of kids that we hoped to have. We wanted you to be like us, but it appears you had other ideas." His wife and him headed for the door.

"We love you," their mother said, "We always will, but we just wish things would have turned out differently. _We wished you would see things the way we wanted it to be."_ The door slowly closed and Luna ran towards the door after it was shut tight. "Mom! Dad!" Luna cried after the door closed. Leo quickly went up to her. "Luna! Luna!" He hugged her tightly. "Don't cry. We have other parents, who care about us a million times more than they do. We have Yusei and Akiza, who were both like a brother and sister as well as a mother and father figures. We had Martha, who took care of us too. Don't let our parents get to you. They never cared about us and they never will. Just forget about them." Luna leaned back.

"I know Leo. You're right, but...I just wish they wouldn't have been so mean to us." Leo nodded. "I know Luna, but forget them. Forget they were ever in our lives. We'll go back to New Domino City and live there instead." Luna shook her head. "No. We can't Leo." Leo let go of her. "Why not?" Luna went back to her room and came back with an envelope. It was already opened and Leo read it aloud.

"Dear Luna,

Congratulations! You have won a scholarship to London University for two years. This scholarship will help pay for your general courses that you need towards the degree of your choice."

Leo then read the rest and looked up at Luna. She didn't seem happy. "I didn't want to upset you." Leo frowned. "Upset me? Luna this is great! You wanted to get a scholarship and you did!" Luna nodded. "I know, but I wanted to go back to New Domino City too. I know you wanted to get a head start on the Turbo Dueling Leagues over there, especially since the biggest pro league is across the pond." Leo nodded.

"I did, but that can wait. I want you to get an education, especially one that you always wanted. My dream can wait a couple years while you chase yours. You worked hard in school, to get good grades, and to earn this scholarship. Besides, there are some leagues here that I can enter. They have the European Pro Turbo Dueling League here and I can join their amateur tour." He smiled. "Don't worry Luna. Everything will work out." Luna smiled. "Thanks Leo. Your the best!" They shared a hug. "Now lets get focused on flying back to New Domino City," Leo said excitedly and Luna nodded. But first, Luna had something else to do.

After she waited a few hours and found plane tickets online with Leo, Luna grabbed a phone, that was available at their apartment. She dialed a number for a long distance call. "Hello? Dexter?" Leo heard her and stood near her as she talked. "Oh Luna! I'm so glad to know it was you. How has everything been going?" Luna frowned. "Not so good. Our parents have basically said that they don't like us." Dexter frowned as well.

"I'm really sorry to hear that," he replied, "But I want you to know that you're a really great person and you shouldn't listen to them." Luna nodded. "I know Dexter. There are some bad parents in this world and we got two of them. But Leo and I talked about it. We know we have plenty of other people that support and care about us. Anyways, I'm sorry it took so long to contact you. Our parents disconnected our phones and I have to use the land line that's at our apartment." Dexter was sincere in his response. "It's okay Luna. You have nothing to be upset about, because it's not your fault. I'm just happy that you're okay and you seem to be doing well, especially when it comes to what happened with your parents." Luna nodded.

"I am Dexter. To be honest, our parents have treated us like that our entire lives, so I'm actually not surprised by what they did. I just wanted to tell you that I'm all right and that I'll be coming home in about a week. Leo wanted to check in on the Turbo Dueling Leagues for the Fall, since I got a scholarship to London University." Dexter gasped. "That's great! Congratulations!" Luna smiled. "Thanks Dexter. It...really means a lot to me that you're supporting me." Dexter blushed on the other line. "It's no big deal," he replied, "But I'm happy for you and you deserve it." There was an awkward silence that followed. "So..." Dexter added, "I'll see you in a week?" They both said that sounded good and they said goodbye. After Luna hanged up, she smiled, and laughed to herself. "Oh Dexter. You're such a great guy."

Leo smiled a short distance away. He watched Luna call Yusei and Akiza, as well as Martha, and several other friends. Still, she never seemed as happy as she did when she had talked to Dexter. 'I can't wait until we get back,' Leo thought as he headed for his room, to check in on the Turbo Dueling Leagues.

About a week later, Luna and Leo were able to make it to New Domino City. Luna insisted that they didn't tell their friends when they would arrive, as she wanted to keep it a surprise for Dexter. When they got to the airport, Luna was driven to Dexter's house by herself. When she got there, she raced upstairs, and was excited to finally get to talk to Dexter about his feelings for her. When she rang the doorbell, Dexter went to get it. "Luna! You're back!" he said happily. Luna nodded and spoke before he could say another word. "Now, do you remember what I promised before I left?" Dexter put a finger to his chin. "Weren't we going to keep talking about something?" Luna nodded. "That's right. So come on." She came inside and headed for the couch. Dexter could tell she was excited and he followed her to the sofa. He then sat down next to her.

"Do you remember what you said to me before I left?" Luna questioned. Dexter blushed. "I said that...I really like you." Luna smiled. "Yes and..." Before she could continue, Luna took both of Dexter's hands into her's. Dexter looked surprised by the action and it was written all over his face, as he looked up at her. "Dexter I...want you to know that..." She blushed. "I like you too." Dexter gasped before looking down at the floor.

"You're just saying that," he replied disappointingly. Luna was now the one who gasped. "No. I'm not lying." Dexter still looked at the floor. "It's okay. I know you're just trying to be nice. You probably feel sorry for me, because an ugly guy like me likes a beautiful woman like you." Luna shook her head. "No Dexter! That's not true!" Luna leaned forward, hoping to get Dexter to change his mind. Dexter quickly leaned back, as he was frightened by how close she was getting. Finally, Dexter ended up falling back onto the couch, pulling Luna with him. They both grunted once they hit each other.

"Are you okay Dexter?" Luna asked, once she leaned back a little bit. Dexter nodded. "How about you?" Luna nodded. They both laid there for a moment, with Luna on top of Dexter. Luna soon jumped on the opportunity of being so close to him. "Dexter, you see yourself as a loser. Don't you?" Dexter looked at his chest. "Well...uh...yeah. I guess I do," he admitted.

"But I want you to know that you're _not _a loser. I've never looked at you as loser or geek or whatever. You're my friend Dexter and you can never be a loser in my eyes." Dexter smiled a small smile. "Well...thanks Luna. That's really sweet of you." He paused for a moment. "But...why on earth would someone as beautiful as you say such nice things about me?" Luna smiled and pushed some stray hairs off of her ear.

"Dexter. I know that you grew up without your parents around. Without them, you never had anyone, to tell you about what a great guy you are." Dexter was a little shocked. "I'm a great guy?" Luna nodded. "Of course you are Dexter. You're smart, caring, kindhearted, and just a joy to be around. I know you can get rather pessimistic at times, but you're still a guy with a lot of good qualities." Dexter still was confused.

"But...why would someone as beautiful, smart, and caring as you want to be with me? I mean, I'm nothing to look at physically and people don't like talking to me. I'm shy. I..." Before he could continue, Luna interrupted him. "Dexter. The reason why I like you is that you have something that is very rare. Something that's hard to find in most people." Dexter didn't get it. "What is that?" Luna leaned in closer to him. "You have a heart of gold." Dexter blushed. "Heart of gold?" he whispered. Luna nodded. "Yes," she replied, "It's something that you rarely find in people and it's a very special quality. It's the reason why any girl would be lucky to be with you." Dexter's face fully turned red. "Y...yeah?" he said in almost a gasp. Luna nodded yet again.

"Yes Dexter. I don't care about how you look or what other people might think. You're a very special guy with a very big heart. That means a lot to me." Dexter still felt a little bit of doubt. "But...how do you know that I'm as great as you think?" Luna looked at the position they were in. "Okay. I have three questions for you. Now, they are just pretend, so you don't have to worry. All right?" He nodded and Luna continued. "The first question is: if you was going to invite me over, what would be the first thing you would want to do?" Dexter gasped.

"I'm not sure. Is this some sort of love making question?" Luna shook her head. "No Dexter. It's not like that. If I just came over, what would first pop into your mind?" Dexter didn't know what to say. "I don't know but I don't want to be doing something inappropriate." Luna smiled. "It's not inappropriate Dexter. What would you do?" Dexter thought for a moment. "I would want to do something that would make you happy," he replied, "If you're coming over, I want to do something that would make you happy. I guess I would then ask you..."

"No. No. That's okay Dexter. You don't have to go any further. My second question is a lot simpler. My second question is: if we were going on a date, what's the first thing you would worry about?" Dexter felt himself calm down a little bit. "I'd...be making sure that you're happy and having a good time." Luna smiled. "Okay. And the last question is: What do you think of the position we're in?" Dexter looked over Luna's shoulder. He hadn't really noticed Luna laying on top of him, since they first fell over. "Um...I'm little uncomfortable, but are you uncomfortable?" Luna smiled and noticed that their hands were still together. She held onto his even tighter than before.

"Did you notice anything in common with all of your responses?" Dexter thought for a moment, before shaking his head "no." Luna then answered her own question. "In all three of your responses, you were worried about me. That's the first thing that popped into your head was me and my happiness. Do you know how happy that makes me feel?" Dexter shook his head again for "no" Luna chuckled. "Here. Why don't we sit up?" She pulled Dexter up and let go of his hands. She then wrapped him a hug.

"Dexter. You're a really sweet guy and I don't think you realize just how wonderful you really are." She took a deep breath. "I really like you Dexter and I..." She leaned back so they could look at each other. "I really hope that you want to be with me." Dexter gasped. He hadn't expected Luna to be so formal with him. He looked into her eyes and then at her smile. He could tell that Luna was serious about this.

"Well...I've never been with anyone before, but...I'll try my very best to make you the happiest woman in the world." Luna gave him a huge smile. "Oh Dexter!" She gave him a tight squeeze. "But...there's one thing you should know." Luna leaned back and Dexter became really shy. "I...I'm going be really affectionate with you. I'd want to give you lots of hugs, kisses, hold hands, put my arm around you, and all of that stuff, no matter the time or place. I...hope that doesn't make you mad or uncomfortable." Luna's smile quickly came back.

"No Dexter. I won't be mad. In fact, I'll be really happy." Dexter looked surprised at her as she continued. "I never really got to receive love and affection from my parents growing up. Leo and I gave each other hugs and kisses every now and then, but they were extremely rare. So...I wouldn't mind having a boyfriend that gives me lots of affection." Luna gave him a knowing smile. "Was Yusei the inspiration for you being affectionate?" Dexter looked down in embarrassment. "Maybe a little," he admitted, "But a majority of it is just natural. I want to be able to give someone hugs and kisses and all that stuff. It really makes me feel good when I get to do that."

"I understand Dexter. I know that I will enjoy doing special things for you as well." Dexter blushed. "What does that mean?" Luna looked away for a moment and had a sly smile. "Well...I've already done some special things for you already." Dexter raised an eyebrow. "You did?" Luna nodded. "Sometimes, I would swing my hips at you or bend over right in front of your face. I know that you noticed me doing those things, because I could see it all over your face when I caught you staring at me." Dexter blushed. "I'm sorry," he apologize. Luna shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing to apologize for Dexter. You didn't do anything wrong." Dexter was confused, "But...I was looking at you as an object. Doesn't that make you mad?" Luna shook her head.

"No Dexter, because I was doing it intentionally for you. I was being sexy and trying on purpose to be attractive for you." Dexter blushed at the comment. "But...why would you do that for me?" Luna bit her lip. "Well...who else could I be sexy for? For Leo? That would be gross! Guys on the street? I don't know what they might do! Yusei's already got the girl of his dreams, so that leaves you Dexter." Dexter looked down in sadness.

"So, you only did that stuff for me, because I was the last resort." Luna shook her head. "No no no," she replied quickly, "You weren't a last resort. You were my friend, first of all. Second, I know you Dexter. You may stare at me, but I know that you would never try to take my clothes off or do things that would make me uncomfortable. I have a ton of faith and trust in you. Third, I enjoyed the embarrassed face you would make when I saw you staring at me." Dexter looked away, guilty as charged.

"See! That's the face right there!" Luna replied excitedly, "I know this sounds weird Dexter, but it's true." Dexter looked back at her. "What's true?" Luna blushed. "I...I think you're cute." Dexter gasped. "You think I'm cute?" Luna nodded. "It's the reason why I will only wear bikinis for you and your eyes only." Dexter gasped at a realization. "So...that's why you had me come over and swim in your poll the past few summers? And take all those pictures!" Luna blushed. "It wasn't the only reason," she replied, "I wanted to know if you thought I looked good in a bikini, since I had never worn one. You said I looked great and I know that you wouldn't lie to me. So, when I combine that with how cute you are, it makes perfect sense." Dexter leaned forward and gave Luna a big hug.

"Oh Luna! I'm honored that I'm the only one who gets to see you in something so revealing." He leaned back. "But I want you to know that, while I do enjoy your physical beauty, I also enjoy your inner beauty too." Luna smiled and hugged him back. "That's great Dexter. I feel the same way about you." They both smiled at one another. "So...do you want to tell our friends that we're a official couple?" Dexter asked. Luna agreed. "Lets go tell Yusei and Akiza!" They both quickly got up and headed for the door.

Once they got outside, and Dexter had locked the door, he went to Luna's side. Before they took another step, Dexter reached out and took Luna's hand. She turned to him and he gave her a hopeful smile. Luna smiled back and intertwined her fingers with his. They then walked to the Tops, the whole way, hand in hand.

Akiza was over at Yusei's apartment and they were being playfully romantic on the couch. "Who's the best girlfriend in whole wide world?" Yusei asked. Akiza thought for a moment. "Is it me?" Akiza replied and Yusei hugged her. "Yes you are!" he replied and they both laughed. When they heard a knock, they both calmed down, and Yusei went to get it.

"Luna and Dexter! Come on in!" They both thanked him and made sure that they let go of the other's hand. They stood in front of the couch, as Yusei took a seat. "Um...you guys," Luna started, "There's something we need to tell you." Yusei and Akiza looked at one another and then back at their two friends. Dexter spoke up. "Luna and I are..." He looked to Luna and she nodded at him. He then looked back at two of his best friends. "Boyfriend and girlfriend." Akiza and Yusei stood up at the same time.

"Oh congratulations!" Akiza said and she gave Luna a hug. Yusei shook hands with Dexter and gave him the same response. They then repeated the same action to the other half of the couple and they all stood in a square shape. "When's your first date?" Akiza wondered. Luna looked at Dexter. "I don't know," she replied. Dexter shrugged. "It'll happen eventually, but I was hoping to ask you guys something." The older couple nodded. "Would it be okay if we come to you for any dating advice or tips?" Yusei nodded. "Of course Dexter. In fact, we could have a double date sometime, if that sounds good to you." Luna and Dexter smiled at one another.

"That sounds great!" Luna replied and they all smiled at one another. Dexter looked at Luna and Luna looked at Dexter. They both hoped, yet somehow knew, that this relationship was going to work.

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for this to come out, but I hope it was worth the wait.**

**Thanks for your patience and thanks for all your support!  
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	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40!  
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******************tom . zhu. 509****:********** Sorry and I'm sorry again.****

****drytacos: Thanks! I love it when a Chapter ends on a good note.  
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**This Chapter has some Yusei x Akiza, so I hope you enjoy it. **

Akiza smiled as she looked at her online class. So far, she had been doing pretty well, with a solid B average. Was it perfect? No. Had she made some mistakes on quizzes and assignments? Yes. But at least she was keeping it above the water mark of a C. Yusei tried his best to help out as well, although he still didn't understand most of it. Still, Akiza enjoyed his presence when working on assignments and also getting to talk a little bit before or after they had finished their work.

A few of the quizzes were bigger and required more time. So, Akiza asked if he would like to stay for dinner or lunch and they would tackle the situation head on when they were done. Yusei enjoyed the additional company of Akiza's parents and, while he still got incredibly nervous around them, he was learning that they were more laid back than he first thought. Yusei had always thought that rich people were uptight and only cared about money. Yet, he had learned over time that there still were a few, down to earth people, who were not so interested in getting green cash. Heck, sometimes the senator himself would, if Yusei stayed late, relax in his pajamas. Still, Yusei had made it a priority not to spend the night at the Izinski's, as he didn't want to be a bother to them. Plus, he wanted sleeping with Akiza to be saved for a "special occasion."

As Akiza looked at what she had to do for school, she noticed a long 5 page paper that would be due in a couple of weeks on Monday. Still, being her usual self, Akiza wanted to get it done early. That way, she could spend more time for herself and spend some precious time with Yusei. Akiza knew that Yusei was at work, but she decided to call him anyways. At the very least, a friendly "Hello" would brighten his day.

At his office, Yusei stared at the computer screen, scratching his head. He was still working on his "secret project" that he had been planning for quite a while now. "Now how would that work?" he wondered as he scratched the back of his head. He heard his phone ring and he picked it up. "Hello. This is Yusei speaking." Akiza smiled as she heard his voice, which was much deeper than when she talked to him in person. "Hey Yusei!" Yusei's voice lightened up. "Yes Akiza?" he asked excitedly. Akiza looked back at her laptop.

"I noticed that there's a paper due in a couple weeks and I was wondering if you'd like to stop by to help me out with it." Yusei sighed. "Actually...I'm very busy working on some stuff. I might have to stay late." Akiza frowned. "Oh. Okay. That's fine. It's not due for a couple weeks anyways." Yusei bit his lip. "That's okay," he replied, "I'm sure we'll find some time to work on it. After all, I want to be able to assist you as much as I can." Akiza leaned into the phone.

"I know you do Yusei. You're such a sweet and wonderful guy." Yusei blushed at his desk. "Thanks Akiza. That...really means a lot to me to hear you say that." They both took a moment to let the warm, happy mood sink in. "Well, I guess I'd better get back to work," Yusei replied, "But I love hearing from you Akiza. Just hearing your voice makes my day." Akiza nodded.

"Same here. Even if your voice is a little deeper on the phone than usual." Yusei sighed as he gently stroked the many hairs that covered his face. "I know," he replied, "I've heard myself on messages and wondered if it really was my voice." They both laughed. "Anyways, I'll talk to you later Akiza. And remember that I love you." Akiza echoed the same response. "Thanks again for calling." They both hung up and Yusei sighed once he looked back at the screen.

'This project's finally gaining some traction after all these years,' he replied, 'I'm so glad that Lazar has helped me like he has. At the same time, I'm worried that I won't be able to help Akiza on her report.' And that was what hurt Yusei most of all.

With Yusei not being able to help Akiza out, she gave a quick shrug. She still had two weeks to complete the assignment, so it was no big deal. Akiza knew Yusei and there was no doubt that he would find some time for her in his schedule. Like he said, Yusei wanted to help Akiza anyway that he could. So, she decided to take some free time to herself. There was a treadmill upstairs that she hadn't used for a few weeks and she was meaning to get back on it. She went upstairs to change clothes and go run.

Later, Yusei came home from a busy day at the office. His project was a lot more work than he thought. As he went to the fridge, he just decided that he didn't want to cook something. He normally bought frozen pizza and baked it himself. However, he looked up a local pizza joint online, and had it delivered. He sighed as he sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Yusei's first thought was Akiza, but he remembered that he told her earlier in the day that he would be working late. Plus, it was pretty late anyways.

Still, despite those reasons, Yusei felt guilty. He wanted to help Akiza out. Much like her, the earlier they got done with it, the faster he could spend alone time with her. Yusei closed his eyes shut. "Don't worry Akiza," he said to himself, "I promise myself that I'll help you." He made a confident fist, when suddenly, the doorbell rang. Yusei gasped. "Pizza's here!" he said excitedly and ran to the door, making sure he had enough for both the pizza and a tip.

A few days later, Akiza called Yusei back. She had already planned on what she was going to write about, but with two people, it could make the work go a lot faster. Yusei could look things up on her book and he would help her with making sure it sounded grammatically correct. Even if Yusei didn't know the subject, there was something that he could do to help Akiza and Akiza knew that he was more than willing to do it. She called him again at work and hoped that today would be a different result from last time.

"Hey Yusei. So...is work being a little easier on ya?" Akiza questioned. "No. It's as busy as ever." Akiza frowned. "Oh, because I was hoping..." Yusei interrupted her. "We could work on your paper together? I know. I want to work on it too, but unfortunately my hands are tied. I'm too busy with work." Akiza sighed. "Okay. Well...this weekend you're free right?"

"No. I've got to run some errands this weekend and clean up around my apartment." Akiza sighed. "Well...okay. I'll at least get a start on it for next week." Yusei smiled. "Okay. That sounds good Akiza. I know that you'll have a great start to it and that way, we'll be able to make the body and ending of the paper sound great. I know you can do it Akiza." Akiza managed a smile, at the saying she had heard so many times.

"Thank you Yusei for believing in me. It really means a lot to me." Yusei was noticeable shy and embarrassed by the comment. "Aww, it's nothing," he replied, "I love cheering you on and giving you the confidence that you need." Akiza's voice had a hint of sadness in it as she said goodbye. "Well...I guess I'd better hang up if you have a lot of work to do." Yusei tried to get her to stay on the line. "No. It's all right. We can talk a little longer if you'd like. I can grab my lunch and make this my lunch break." Akiza shook her head, almost as if Yusei could see her.

"No. I don't want you to do that. A lunch break should let you get away from your desk and relax. You shouldn't have lunch by your desk, because it makes you want to work more and causes you even more stress. That's not good for you." Yusei chuckled. "You sound just like Martha," he replied, "Always worried about me and stress. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Akiza smiled. "Okay. Take it easy Yusei."

"Will do," he replied, "I love you." Akiza blushed. "I love you too. Okay. Bye." As Akiza ended the call, her smile faded in just a few seconds. A whole week and everyday Yusei was busy. After she put the phone back and took a seat on the couch, Akiza hanged her head.

This was all familiar. Akiza's mind flash backed to the WRGP. Yusei was so focused on his engine design and caring about how fast he went, even though it truly didn't matter, as long as you won the duel. Not only that, but he was so worried about beating his opponents and ZONE that all his mind focused on was the WRGP. As important as that was, in the process, Yusei made very little time for the person he now said that he loved: Akiza.

Not only was Akiza pushed aside, but the twins as well. They would come over after school and try to talk to him. Yet, his mind always seemed to be elsewhere. As soon as Bruno came around though, even that sliver of time went out the door. All he talked about was the Duel Runner and how it ran, worked, or could work. As much as people thought Yusei was a so-called "genius" he was really only strong in talking and fixing Duel Runners. Outside of that area, however, Yusei's IQ was on par with most people. He might be higher than average, Akiza wasn't sure since he never had an IQ test, but he certainly didn't know everything about everything (hence his experience in romance). Not only that, but he only got a high school level education from Martha, and that was the reason why Yusei had tried to help Akiza with her homework.

Akiza put a hand to her face. Helping her with her homework. To be honest, the idea started as Akiza was starting Duel Academy again. She had to take a re-entry exam and had scored very well. When she saw the classes she could sign up for, taking a AP class sounded great. However, the classes were a lot harder than she thought. She remembered coming over to the garage during the first week of school.

_Flashback_

Akiza felt tears stream down her face as she raced towards the garage. The twins had luckily gone over to their new friend Bob's house, so they didn't have to see their big sister figure cry like a little girl all the way home. When Akiza got to the garage, she burst in crying and ran towards the long couch that the guys had moved in. She leaned on one of the arm rests and buried her head into her arms. The three gentlemen watched in confusion. Jack and Crow briefly looked at one another and nodded quickly before Yusei turned to them. Crow stuck out his arm, signaling to Yusei to try and fix the problem. Yusei shook his head, mostly due to the fact that he didn't know how to handle the situation. Jack put his hands on his hips, his arm muscles sticking out, unlike the black and yellowed haired Signer. He gave a mean stare at him and Yusei quickly turned around to Akiza, who was still bawling on the couch.

"Um...Akiza..." Yusei said nervously, not wanting to upset her further, "Can...can you tell us what's wrong?" Akiza looked up from her arms. "My...my classes are too hard!" she screamed. Yusei gasped slightly. "Too hard?" he repeated, as he took a seat on the couch. Akiza nodded and Yusei put a hand on her shoulder. The two of the remained silent for a moment, as they looked at one another, with frowns on their faces.

"Well...could you try and see a tutor?" Akiza shook her head. "No! The tutors there are pretty much kids that are in my class! Plus, some of them are snobs and are still mad at me for my Black Rose days." Yusei's eyes softened as Akiza choked up a little more. "Akiza. It's okay. Those days are over. You're not the Black Rose anymore. You're not a witch and you're definitely not a bad person." Akiza nodded. "I know, but...they don't see that in me." She looked away.

"Well I do," Yusei replied firmly. Akiza looked back at him and Yusei continued, with a smile on his face. "I know you Akiza and you're not a terrible person. Okay? You have a good heart and you are a good person. I know that you're not the mean person you were back then." He turned to Jack and Crow. "Right guys?" Crow and Jack jumped after being thrown into the conversation. "Um...yeah," Crow replied. "Yusei's right," Jack replied. In truth, neither one wanted to be involved as it was slowly turning into a situation that they could bug Yusei about later. Yusei nodded.

"Right. So don't let them get to you Akiza. I know you're a good person and you shouldn't let their words bother you. Just ignore them and let your heart shine through." Akiza smiled for a moment. "I will, but..." Her smile faded. "What do I do about my classes? I mean, I can't be there to bother the teacher all the time and the tutors don't like me. What should I do?" Everyone thought for a moment.

"I know," Crow replied, "What if you report those tutors and tell the principal that they're discriminating against you?" Akiza shook her head. "I can't, because I can't prove that I wouldn't attack them. I did that before, so why should they believe me now? The only way would be if someone that knows me would either tutor me or take the classes with me." Yusei smiled.

"Akiza! You're a genius!" Akiza looked at him. "What do you mean?" Yusei smiled at her. "I'll take the classes with you!" Everyone else in the room was confused. "How can you do that Yusei?" Jack questioned, "You're 18, so you'll be too old and why would they let you in? Besides you've got the WRGP to worry about." Crow nodded. "Yeah. Plus, you're not the greatest when it comes to science Yusei. I mean, we learned from Martha, but that was a while ago and I personally don't remember a thing." Yusei turned to them.

"No. I won't go there physically. I'll still stay here. However, I could take the classes with Akiza, by looking at her notes. Plus, she could explain to me what she learned from that day. I'll do the worksheets or other homework with her at night and it'll be just like I'm taking the class with her. Not only that, but I'll learn somethings too. It'll be great." He turned to Akiza. "What do you think?"

Akiza thought for a moment. Getting to spend time with Yusei did sound fun and it would be nice to spend some more time with him, especially after all he has done for her. Akiza got a confident smile on her face. "All right. That sounds good to me. Besides, I would love it if you could learn some new things too." Yusei's face lit up. "Great! So why don't you show me what you've learned so far?" Akiza nodded and got out her books. Jack and Crow looked at them as they got started and then at each other. It was clear as day that Yusei was doing this, not only to help Akiza, but to spend time with her too. They had already teased him about liking her, along with Martha, but it was always when the person he was falling for was not around. This was yet another example and they were certain that they would give him some crap about it later.

They turned back to their Runners, as Yusei started to learn some of the basics on Chemistry and Physics. They both chuckled as Yusei seemed very interested in what Akiza had to say. If if was them talking, however, Yusei would probably care a lot less. They started working on the Runner again and looked every now and again at the two people, who were afraid and shy to admit their feelings for one another.

_End Flashback_

Akiza smiled as she remembered those days. Those days were nice. Yusei would come over at night or Akiza would come to the garage and he would learn right along with her. Akiza remembered when she told her parents about the idea.

_Flashback_

Akiza was sitting at the dinner table, eating with her parents. She had just explained the idea to her parents. "That sounds good," her mother replied, "But are there other reasons for it?" Akiza looked confused. "What do you mean?" Akiza asked. Her parents looked at one another. "We've noticed that you really enjoy spending time with that Yusei fellow," Mr. Izinski replied, "You two do really connect well together." Akiza blushed. "Dad! I've told you! We're not in love." Akiza's cheeks were turning red. Her parents chuckled.

"Come on Akiza. It's all right to say it," Ms. Izinski replied, "I think you two look cute together." Akiza rolled her eyes. "What you think and what is reality are two different things," she replied, "Besides, Yusei could have any girl he wants. He helped save the world for crying out loud!" Mr. Izinski shook his head. "I don't think that's necessarily true. Besides, Yusei has grown up with good morals. I got to talk to his foster mother Martha, who raised him, and like I told your mother, he shares a lot of the same values you do. He wouldn't be with a girl just for her looks or to get in bed with her, which by the way is not allowed when he comes over. Of course, you don't want to be drooling over him the entire time he's here as well, because then you won't get any schoolwork done." Akiza had had enough. She collected her plate and silverware and then stood up, with her eyes closed.

"Please Dad. Yusei's no hunk of man. All right? He's an average looking guy, at best, so it's not like I'm going to droll all over him when he comes over." She firmly walked away and brought her silverware to the kitchen. Mr. and Ms. Izinski looked at one another and smiled. Even though Yusei wasn't a hunk, by any means, it didn't mean that their daughter couldn't find him attractive. And they both knew that that was indeed the case.

_End Flashback_

Akiza sighed as she quickly remembered the rest. At first, the system worked great. With wintertime rolling around, Yusei could only do indoor activities and it left him with some free time. Yusei and Akiza both learned some new things and it was really helpful when it came to preparing for tests for them to work together. Akiza's parents and Martha sometimes visited and would smile when they saw them working together, with thoughts of romance in all of their heads. Christmas wasn't a big deal back then. With the three men having very little money, they didn't buy gifts for one another. As much as Akiza wanted to get something for Yusei, she didn't want to be a burden with him not having much money to spend on her.

As soon as springtime rolled around though, Yusei started changing. The warm weather enabled him to test his runner, including during the longer nights. Bruno came along as well and just about all the time they had together was nonexistent. Akiza remembered the last time they worked on schoolwork together.

_Flashback_

Yusei had come over to Akiza's house, as he managed to squeeze in some quick time with her. At that point, Akiza had become accustom to him not helping her out. To be honest, Yusei was the one who insisted on coming over. Akiza wasn't sure why, but figured that she might be able to remind him a little bit of just how much she missed him helping her out. He came over and rushed upstairs to Akiza's room.

Akiza sat at her white desk, looking over some bookwork. "I'm here," Yusei said cheerfully and with a smile on his face. Akiza was quiet. "Lets get to work," she replied firmly and Yusei took a seat next to her. "So what Chapter are we on?" Yusei wondered. "10," she replied firmly, "Here are some of the problems." She showed it to him. Yusei's face looked like he saw a ghost. "Weren't we on Chapter 4?" he asked. Akiza's voice remained strong.

"No. We're on 10," she replied. Yusei saw that she had already written down some problems. "Uh...okay. Just work on those problems and I'll be with you in a minute." Akiza watched as Yusei zipped back to past Chapters, trying to figure out what to do. Akiza sighed and she worked on the problems she had written down. About five minutes later, she was finished. "I'm done," she announced and looked over at Yusei, who was still looking at Chapter 5. "Yusei?" she asked, "Are you ready?" Yusei turned to her. "Oh...yeah," he replied, "I think I've got it." Akiza showed him her work.

"So how does this look?" Yusei just stared at the problems. "Uh...it looks good," he replied, "Is there anything else?" Akiza shook her head and got out her Physics homework. Again, Yusei looked completely lost and didn't know the material at all. Akiza felt bad having to do this to Yusei, but she hoped that maybe it would make him think about her and her studies. Something other than just his dang Duel Runner. Still, Yusei looked lost the whole time and, to be honest, Yusei was holding her back from finishing her work. She never yelled or got angry at him. On the outside, she looked okay. On the inside she was boiling mad.

"That looks like it's about it," Akiza finally confessed, "Do you want to stay here and have a snack?" Yusei shook his head. "I can't. I've got to get back to the guys." Akiza's heart sank. Was that all he cared about? "Um...okay," Akiza replied quietly. She watched as Yusei headed for the door. "Goodnight Akiza," Yusei sad as he looked at her. Akiza looked away. "Goodnight," she replied softly, as she looked away, clutching to one of her books. Yusei turned around and walked out of the room.

_End Flashback_

Akiza sighed. This is the same thing over again. Only now, it is work. Akiza knew that work was important, but couldn't Yusei ask to leave at his normal time just once this week? Couldn't his apartment be messy for just one day or week longer? She would happily help him clean, as she knew he wasn't an expert when it came to cleaning. Like with his Runner, Yusei had tons of opportunities to say, "Screw it," for just one night. Yet he didn't and that worried her.

Akiza did the beginning of her paper and re-read it about three times, before deciding that it was a pretty good start. When she was done, she took a nap, as nothing else seemed to be very exciting. Being ignored by her boyfriend hurt, even when he had a logical reason. Akiza knew the thought of doing the whole paper by herself loomed large and it could lead down a slippery slope of Yusei falling behind, just like before. Akiza sighed and rolled onto her side.

A few days later, Akiza called Yusei again about the assignment. She had called him a couple of times over the weekend just to say "hi." She offered to help him clean, but Yusei insisted that she shouldn't. Akiza again didn't understand why. She had helped him before and Yusei even commented that she had done a lot of things better than he ever could. Akiza asked him if anything was wrong and he said that there wasn't. Akiza asked again in a soft voice, but Yusei both softly and gentlemanly told her that there wasn't. He said that he did appreciate her concern and he was still going to find time for her paper. Akiza's hopes didn't rise any from his response.

When she called him on Tuesday, she had already done a little research. Yusei said that was great, but he still wasn't going to have some time off. Akiza sighed. "I might have to do the paper all by myself," she replied. Yusei was quick to respond. "No way! I said I was going to help you and that is what I'm going to do!" Yusei fired back. Akiza was a little surprised by his reaction, but at the same time, had to put pressure on him. "How will you do that?" she questioned, "You'll have to work late every night." Yusei sighed as he knew she was right. "I'll...I'll think of something." Akiza sighed. "Don't get yourself fired over this," she warned him. Yusei laughed.

_"Trust me," he replied, "They are desperate to keep me here." _Akiza didn't understand. "What does that mean?" she asked. Yusei didn't answer her question. "Well. I guess I'd better get back to work. I promise you Akiza I'll help you out, because I love you." Akiza was finding it harder and harder to believe him. "I hope so," she replied, "I love you too." Yusei smiled. "Don't worry Akiza. Everything will work out." They said goodbye and hung up.

Finally, it was Friday night. Akiza had waited on Yusei to call back or to flat out come over. He hadn't done so and she finally called him, furious as could be. Yusei answered the phone. "Hey Akiza," he replied happily, before holding the phone back from his ear. "Are you going to come over and help me or not?" Akiza yelled, "What are you doing right now?" Yusei thought for a moment. "I'm...well..."

"You're at work aren't you?" Akiza questioned. "Well...yeah," he replied nervously. Akiza huffed. "Since you won't help me, I'll just do the paper myself. It'll probably take a few hours, but that's what happens when you don't have any help. I love you Yusei, but you've really disappointed me. You promised you'd help me, but you didn't. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time this has happened." She then hit the "end call" button.

"Akiza!" Yusei shouted. He looked at his phone and hanged up. He stared at the printer that he was printing out some papers. 'What did she mean by it wasn't the first time?' Yusei wondered. He thought for a few moments. 'Unless...' Yusei's face firmed up. He had to get to the Izinski's and he had to get there fast. The only problem was work. The office he was in was dark, with little lighting. He quickly searched around the cubicles for something small. He soon spotted a few paper clips on one of the office desks. He looked at who it belonged to.

"Sorry Sam, but I need these," he said to himself. He then jogged over to the printer and spotted a security camera nearby. He knew that he had to cover his tracks, just in case. He set all, but one of the paper clips next to the area where the papers were waiting to be printed, on top of the machine. He then took a couple of papers and put them together. He then went around a corner, where there was a small break area, with vending machines and such. He set the papers down on a counter top, before turning around and walking back to the printer. As he walked, he "accidentally" brushed some into the area where the blank papers sat. Sure enough, one of them got caught and a "error" message displayed on the printer.

"Oh no," Yusei said sarcastically, "This printer doesn't work. Guess I'm all done with my work." He then canceled the project and bolted out of the room. He raced downstairs and to the parking garage, where his small used car sat. He quickly got inside, but was careful of his speed and traffic (unlike Jack and Crow or actors in a movie in this type of situation) as he drove to the Izinski's. When he got there, he raced to door, and rang the doorbell. Ms. Izinski answered the door.

"Well good evening Yusei. How are you?" Yusei's voice was in a rush. "Where's Akiza?" Ms. Izinski was confused. "She's upstairs in her room. Why? Is there something wrong?" Yusei shook his head. "No. Everything's fine. I just have to see her. That's all." He ran past her and up the long flight of stairs. When he got to the top, he ran to his right. He then ran up to Akiza's room. The door was closed and Yusei knocked on the door.

"Akiza! Akiza?" he asked. Akiza looked up from her laptop. "Yusei?" she asked. She set the laptop down on the bed and got up. When she opened the door, she was instantly greeted with a big hug. "Oh Akiza," Yusei replied, "I'm so sorry." He hugged her tight and Akiza returned the hug. "Yusei. It's okay." They leaned back. "Shouldn't you be at work right now?" Akiza questioned, "You didn't get fired did you?" Yusei shook his head.

"No way Akiza. Lets just say there was a little 'accident' that occurred.' Akiza looked at him suspiciously. "You didn't do anything illegal dd you?" Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza. I didn't. My record is clean and that is still true tonight." Akiza kept staring at him. "But why did you come here?" Yusei rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to help you with your paper, just like I promised." Akiza turned her back to him.

"So you sneaked out of work just to help me?" Yusei didn't get it. "Akiza. Why are you upset? This is what you wanted wasn't it?" Akiza sighed. "Yusei. I wanted you to help me with my paper, but I wanted you to willingly take time out of your day to see me. Not just to force yourself into the situation." Yusei still didn't understand. "I don't get it. What are you talking about?" Akiza sighed.

"You could have easily taken off a day of work, said that you couldn't stay late one night, cleaned your apartment this weekend, or decided to just put whatever it is down for a minute. You just can't put things off for one minute Yusei or let things go. If you truly cared about me, you would stop whatever you're doing just once. Once. That's all I asked. Just spend one day or a few hours on the paper with me and then you could go back to whatever it is that you had to do." Akiza's voice softened. "But I should know you by now. I should have remembered what happened last time." Yusei gasped. "Last time?" he questioned. Akiza's felt herself wanting to cry as she recalled for him.

"At first, when you didn't know about the WRGP or it just started, everything was okay. You'd talk to Leo, Luna, and me and we could talk to you like normal. You'd help the twins if there was a question they wanted to ask you and you would spend time with me, learning new things in two of my classes. As we got closer to the WRGP, your mind completely shut off. You were so into it that you never took time away from your work or Duel Runner to be with me. _Me or the twins._ It was always something that you had to do, that you couldn't put down or let go of for one minute. It's the dumb engine, or I need a certain strategy, or I have to spend time with Bruno. That's all your life revolved around and there was seemingly nothing else important to you. You never took a day off. You just kept focusing on the WRGP and nothing else. When the twins and I came over, all you cared about was work, and you wouldn't even acknowledge us. When you said the twins and I were part of the team, at first, we were excited. But we then quickly realized how little importance we really were."

"Akiza that's not true," Yusei replied as he came over to her, "You three were very important. Plus, you're forgetting that you helped me win that duel versus Team Unicorn." Akiza turned around and she had an angry look on her face. "Oh! I laid down Stardust Dragon just so you could win. Huh? You could have had Jack or Crow to do it for you! After I got hurt, all I did was stand on the sidelines, and do nothing! At least I can say that! The twins didn't get to do anything. They were just there. In the background. The record books say I was part of the winning team, but except for that one time all it was the Jack, Crow and Yusei show. You didn't even switch the order you were in. Did that ever cross your mind?" Akiza turned around. "I swear Yusei, sometimes I think before, during, and after the WRGP you must have taken some stupid pills! You didn't care about Leo, Luna, or myself. You didn't take time for us and what time we did have went away. We didn't get to do anything during the WRGP at all. The only thing that three of us did combined was laying down your Stardust Dragon." Akiza closed her and started to cry. Yusei put a hand on both of her shoulders.

"Akiza. Please don't cry," Yusei said softly. Akiza put her face in her hands and Yusei wrapped his arms around her and let her lean into his chest. As usual, Yusei remained quiet as Akiza cried. He held her and knew he had to say something to make her feel better. After all, Akiza was right about what he could have done over the past few weeks. He could have easily said "no" or waited until another time, to help make time for her. Still, he also had some other things to say to her. Once Akiza's tears had slowed, she looked at him.

"You ignored me, just like back then, over the last few weeks. You could have easily made even a little bit of time for me, but you didn't. It makes me wonder if you do care about me as much as you say you do." Yusei frowned and spoke up.

"Akiza I do care about you. I've always cared about you. I care about you more than you could ever imagine." Akiza wasn't buying it, so he continued. "I did think about you Akiza, when I was preparing for the WRGP. I thought about you every day. I hoped that the teasing and prejudice against you would stop. I hoped you'd do well at school and that you'd get to come home everyday with a smile on your face. I also thought about you every night when I went to bed too, both you and the twins. I was upset at myself every time I didn't talk to you guys or communicate to you at some point the day. Many nights I couldn't sleep, because all I could think about was you guys, not necessarily because of any engine design or strategy."

"I find that hard to believe," Akiza replied. Yusei nodded. "I understand, but it's the truth. Plus, it wasn't just me who noticed you three stopped coming everyday. All four of us noticed." Akiza crossed her arms. "So why didn't you do anything about it?" Akiza wondered. Yusei sighed. "That was my fault Akiza. To be honest, I thought you guys might want time to yourselves, to work on school stuff, or for you to spend time with parents. I didn't want to ruin those moments for you." Akiza's eyes narrowed and she looked more upset. "But that's no excuse for what I did," Yusei replied, "All the time I spend thinking and worrying about you guys was exactly the same as the past couple of weeks. I should have done something about it, but I was too stupid and afraid to take action." Akiza looked down.

"Well...you did do something this time. Granted, I don't know what, but it's probably not a good thing." Yusei smiled. "Actually Akiza. Do you wanna know what I did?" Akiza nodded. "I pushed some paperclips into a printer, to try, and jam it." Akiza rolled her eyes. "Okay. That's a lot better than finding out you punched Lazar of something." Yusei laughed. "Remember, I'm all for non-violence," he reminded her, "Although I have sometimes thought about doing that to him in my head." Akiza managed to laugh a little bit, but Yusei's face turned serious, as much as he enjoyed hearing her laugh.

"But I also want you to know something Akiza. You may think you did almost nothing during the WRGP, but you gave me one of my Top 3 favorite duel moments." Akiza was confused. "Top 3?" Yusei nodded. "Having you play Stardust Dragon, my most powerful monster, made me smile Akiza. Seeing my Dragon fly next to yours was amazing. It made me feel a joy during a duel that I have only felt for two other moments during a duel." Akiza smiled. "What are these other two moments?" Akiza asked. Yusei shook his head. "I'll tell you some other time, but for right now, one is our Dragons being on the same field, not battling one another, but battling with one another." Akiza blushed. "Isn't our Dragons flying next to one another a little ironic?" she asked, "Especially when you think about how the two of us are together?" Yusei nodded.

"That's a great point Akiza. It is kind of symbolic of the relationship we have together. Not to mention, you're the only person I would ever trust with my Stardust Dragon card." Akiza raised her eyebrows. "Me? Just me?" Yusei nodded. "I wouldn't trust it in anyone else's hands, but yours Akiza. I know I said that it was for strategy, but even back then, I had complete trust and faith in you. That trust has continued to grow and become even stronger over the years." Akiza nodded. "I agree. I feel the same way about you Yusei." Yusei's smiled for a moment, before it quickly faded.

"And that is why I feel terrible Akiza. About the entire WRGP, both before and after it. I put my Duel Runner ahead of you. I'm also sorry about how I've treated you the past few weeks Akiza, by putting work ahead of you. I'm truly sorry for what happened both then and now. I was too afraid to do something and I pushed you aside as well as the twins. I shouldn't have done that, especially since you guys are my best friends in the whole world." He leaned in closer. "And there is no friend closer to me than you Akiza." He gave her a quick kiss. "I love you Akiza and I'm sorry for how I acted. I shouldn't have pushed you away, because I love you so much." Akiza blushed. Yusei was truly sorry for what he had done right now and he was truly sorry for what he did back then. Now, even Akiza was feeling sorry.

"Well...I'm sorry for being so bratty about it," Akiza replied. Yusei smiled. "No Akiza. You had every right to be upset. I could have...no. I should have made some time for you and your schoolwork. I remember those study times with you Akiza. I enjoyed learning new things with you and helping you out, as well as seeing you do well. That's why I felt even worse every time I missed one of our study times together. That last time we had one, I felt terrible Akiza. There's something you should know about it."

_Flashback_

Instead of going straight back to the guys, Yusei sat on a bench, with a streetlight nearby. Yusei looked down. "How could I be so stupid?" Yusei said to himself, "The WRGP is starting in a matter of days and I already feel worse than being eliminated in the group rounds. I didn't make time for Akiza." Yusei closed his eyes, feeling nothing but guilt.

_End Flashback_

"I remember those times Akiza. I enjoyed those study times with you, because I got to learn new things right along with you. You enjoyed them right?" Akiza nodded. "I did. I enjoyed getting to learn new things with you too and you were there to help me out as well. That's why doing this online class with you was so important and special for me. It's fun learning something new, but it's even more fun when you do it with someone else, especially with someone you love."

"Aww," Yusei said and the two of them hugged. They shared a kiss and Yusei had one last thing to say. "I promise that I'll make it up to you and the twins Akiza, especially after what I did. I did take some stupid pills during that time period, but I assure you I'm off of them now. I'll be sure to tell the twins that I'll make it up to them as well." Akiza smiled. Knowing Yusei, he would probably find some way to make it up to them, although Akiza wasn't sure what that was yet.

"Well...do you wanna get started on that paper?" Yusei asked, "And afterward we could do something together." Akiza smiled. "Sure Yusei. That sounds wonderful." They dove into the paper and starting working on it. Sure enough, spending time together on it was much faster than it could have taken doing it alone. Once they were done, they went downstairs, where Ms. Izinski had some leftover pie.

"So what did you two do?" she asked, "It wasn't inappropriate was it?" Akiza and Yusei quickly assured her everything was okay. "We just did a paper," Yusei replied. Ms. Izinski smiled. "Really?" she asked as she sat down with them. "You know. You two working on a class together reminds me of when you worked together on Akiza's AP classes back at Duel Academy." Akiza and Yusei looked at one another, with grins on their faces. They knew that this time, they were going to work together for the entire class, and they weren't going to let anything stop them from doing it. No matter what.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the touching on Yusei and Akiza working on school stuff together.  
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**If you have any ideas for a Chapter (besides a lemon), feel free to give me a suggestion. I have ideas, but I want to make you (the readers) happy.  
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**Thanks for your support!  
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	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41!  
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**********Shinn Tsukishiro********: I realized that too, but I'm trying to make it as realistic as I could. I doubt that their dating would go perfectly smooth, so it only makes sense to have them disagree about stuff. After all, they're learning things about one another that they don't know/didn't know until now. Thanks so much for the review!  
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********************tom . zhu. 509******************: Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoyed the last Chapter!  
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**A/N: Some Luna x Dexter mixed in with some Yusei x Akiza too.  
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With the twins now back, Yusei decided to call them, and repeat what he had told Akiza. He called them on a video call and asked to see both of them. "I'm really sorry for how I treated both of you before, during, and after the WRGP. I was stupid and I shouldn't have ignored you and Akiza like I did. I'm sorry for not making time for you guys and I know that I'll make it up to you." Leo and Luna kept straight faces.

"Well, we were a little upset over how you treated us and we noticed how badly you ignored Akiza," Leo replied. Yusei frowned. "But we're happy that you apologized and we can't wait to see how you make it up to us," Luna replied. Yusei's face turned a little brighter. "What do you have in mind?" Leo asked. Yusei gave them a knowing smile. "You'll just have to wait and see," he replied and they all laughed.

Once they were done talking, Luna decided to call Dexter up. Since their confession, the two of them had talked every now and again, but they hadn't gone out anywhere. Luna wanted to change that by having them go out on a date. She dialed him up and smiled once he had picked up the phone. "Hey Luna! What's up?" Luna giggled. "Hey Dexter. I was wondering if you'd like to go out Friday night."

Dexter blushed. He knew this day was going to come sooner or later. Still, he was incredibly nervous at the thought of going out with someone. "Uh...sure. That sounds great," he replied, "Where do you want to go?" Luna thought for a moment. "Any place you want to go Dexter." Dexter sighed. "But...I want to go someplace that you'd enjoy Luna. I'd hate to pick a place that you don't want to go to."

"It's okay Dexter," Luna replied, "I'll go wherever you want to go." Dexter thought for a few moments. "Why don't you go someplace simple?" Luna suggested, "Someplace not too fancy." Dexter nodded. "Well...there's a pizza restaurant a few blocks away called the Pizza Train. Why don't we go there?" Luna shrugged. "Sounds good to me. Do you want to come over and pick me up a little before 7?" Dexter agreed. "Sure, but how should I dress?" Luna took only a moment to respond. "Just wear something casual," she replied, "It's not a fancy place, so just come as you are."

"Okay," he answered back, "I'll see you at 7 on Friday." Luna's voice sounded excited. "Okay. I can't wait! See you then." They both said goodbye and hung up. As soon as Dexter put the phone back, he raced to his room. "I've got to find something to wear!" Dexter cried, "Luna will look good in anything, but I know that's not true for me." His room had walls that were dark green, with local sports teams logos pinned on a few of the walls. When he got to his closet, he started grabbing clothes. He first grabbed a white polo.

"No. Too light." He grabbed another. "No. Too dark." Yet another. "No. Too awkward." After about 15 minutes, Dexter finally found a nice blue polo. He had worn it before, but he felt the need to put it on and examine himself in the bathroom mirror. "Perfect," he said and walked back to his room. There, he found a pile of clothes all over the floor. "Aw crap," he muttered to himself. "Not only do I have to clean this up, but I also have to find some pants." He quickly started re-hanging the clothes on the floor and the tried to find the right pair of pants to go with his polo.

On Friday, Yusei came over to help Dexter out. He was more than happy to help Dexter with his date, especially since he was going out with Akiza that night as well. So, he decided to show him his per-date routine. Dexter took a shower before Yusei came over followed by blow drying his hair. "Okay," Yusei said once they were in the bathroom together, "We should shave a little." They each took out a razor, as Yusei had brought his with. They shaved and had more than a few blood spots on their faces. "Do you think that Luna will be upset that I have red spots on my face?" Dexter wondered. Yusei shook his head. "As long as she knows you tried to look nice for your first date, she won't mind one bit." Yusei then took out a brush.

"Okay. Now make sure you're hair's brushed nicely." They brushed and Dexter obviously took less time than Yusei. As Yusei continued brushing, Dexter asked him a question. "Do you think Luna's upset that I haven't changed my hair? I mean, she's grown hers out to her shoulders." Yusei shook his head. "Nah. Put your hair the way you want it. Akiza messed with her hairstyle a few years back, but she went back to her old style a few weeks later. It's been that way ever since, except when it gets really long, she has to put it in a bun for a couple days. Besides that, Akiza's hair hasn't changed, my hasn't changed, and so yours doesn't have to change either." Dexter smiled. "Good," he replied, "Because I don't want it to change."

"Next," Yusei replied, "You got to put on some cologne." They each took out a bottle, of the same brand, and sprayed some on. "How much is enough?" Dexter asked, "I normally put on just a couple of sprays." Yusei shrugged. "Put on a few more," he replied, "If you're going to be close to your girlfriend, then you want her to be able to smell something nice." Dexter blushed at having Luna be his "girlfriend", let alone wanting to smell him. "Aren't girls attracted to a man's smell though? I've heard that makes girls excited." Yusei shook his head. "No. That's overrated. Akiza's still not use to my BO, so I try to cover it up as best I can." Dexter nodded and sprayed a few more times. If Luna hasn't been with him on one date, there's no way she would be used to his bodily scent. Once they were done with the cologne, they looked into the mirror.

"Check to make sure your glasses are clean and straight." They each took their glasses off and washed them off. They both adjusted them, even though they were both still a little crooked.

"Make sure your clothes look good and then make one last smile into the mirror." Yusei smiled as wide as he could and Dexter followed his lead. "Okay. Now we're ready," Yusei replied. Dexter nodded and they headed out of the bathroom and into the living room. Dexter took a few deep breaths as Yusei put a hand on his shoulder. "Just relax," Yusei replied, "Everything's going to be fine." Dexter nodded. "I hope so," he replied.

"Come on," Yusei encouraged him, "Just be confident. Show Luna your best and try to have fun." Dexter nodded and they headed for the door. "I'm going to head over to Akiza's so I'll see you later Dexter. Unless it gets really late, be sure to call my phone, and tell me all about it."

"Sure thing. I will," Dexter replied. They said and waved goodbye, as Dexter locked the front door. "Okay Dexter. You can do this. Just smile and try your best to make Luna happy." He bit his lip and nervously started walking to the Tops. Just going on a regular date would make most guys nervous. But the fact that Luna and him are already good friends plus the fact that she's so incredibly beautiful, at least in Dexter's eyes, made him even more nervous. A good date in his mind would be one that made Luna happy and that could make her want to go out with him again. It sounded easy enough.

But then again, just because Luna and him were friends, doesn't mean that it would be easy. After all, getting to know one another on a more personal level could mean that they disagree with you on some things or that there could be some issues with your likes and dislikes. With that in mind, Dexter knew that he should just focus on the positives and try to think about what he could control. That meant making Luna happy and letting her have a good time.

When he made it to the Tops, he was well ahead on time. He didn't want be too early, as he knew that women liked to make sure they looked pretty for a date. He decided to sit and wait in the lobby for a few minutes. As he did, he noticed all the people coming in. It was a very nice lobby, with a clerk at the front to check people in. They had seen him as well as all of the Signers enough that they didn't need to check in on them. At the same time, Dexter had always felt a little safer when he was at the Tops and that extra security would be nice to have when he decided on a place to live. He suddenly realized where his train of thought was going and he shook his head.

'Cut it out Dexter!' he scolded himself, 'You haven't even gone out with her yet. So stop fantasizing about marrying her!' He checked his watch again and breathed a sigh of relief once he found out he should be heading upstairs. When he reached the Top, he took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell for the twin's apartment. He was quickly greeted at the door by his new "girlfriend."

"Hey Dexter!" Luna said in her usual cheery voice, "I'm so glad to see you." Dexter took a quick moment to examine her attire. It was a forest green t-shirt and her usual short shorts. Luna took a moment to examine him as well and noticed his semi-casual attire. "Dexter, you look so dressed up," Luna commented, "I said you could just wear causal clothes." Dexter instantly feared the worst.

"I'm sorry," he replied, "I just wanted to look good for you." Luna smiled. "It's okay Dexter. I'm not upset." She put her arms around him and tried to give him a comforting hug. "It's so nice that you wanted to look good for me, but just remember that you look great just the way you are." She leaned back. "You smell nice too." Dexter blushed. "Uh...thanks," he replied, "But should we get going?" Luna nodded and locked the door. As they headed for the elevator, Dexter put his arm around Luna's waist, without really realizing it. Luna stopped and looked at him, so Dexter quickly let go.

"Sorry," he apologized again. Luna smiled. "It's all right," she replied and put an arm around him. Dexter blushed and put his arm back around her as they went inside the elevator. They headed down and, once they got to the ground floor, Dexter let go of her tiny figure. "Could we hold hands?" he asked and Luna nodded She took hold of his right hand and they walked outside, into the night. It was a warm night just before the beginning of Summer. They walked down a few blocks and Luna started the conversation.

"Have you gone here before?" Luna asked and Dexter nodded. "Yeah. I've usually gotten a medium and ate most of it by myself." Luna laughed. "You? You could eat almost a whole pizza?" Dexter blushed. "I was just hungry," he replied, "Plus some of the days I had exercised, so I was extra hungry. I did that earlier today too, so I'm not sure what size pizza to get." Luna smiled. "Well, I guess we'll have to order an extra large then to be sure we'll have enough." They both laughed and a few minutes later, they were at the pizza restaurant. Dexter let go of Luna's hand and opened the door for her. He tried to get the second door as well, but Luna willingly opened it for herself.

They were quickly shown to their booth and Dexter noticed some crumbs on the seat. He went ahead of Luna and tried to wipe them off. "There you go," Dexter said happily, before noticing some more in-between the seat. He quickly stepped in front of her and tried to get the crumbs out of there. "It's okay Dexter," Luna replied, "You don't have to do that." Dexter looked up. "But I just wanted to be sure that..." He looked at her legs. "Uh...pants didn't get dirty."

'If she was wearing any pants,' Dexter thought to himself as Luna went up to him. "It's okay Dexter. It was very sweet of you to do that." She patted his back and took a seat. Dexter quickly sat across from her and they looked at the menu. "What do you think we should have?" Dexter asked, "Do you want two individuals or do you want to split one?" Luna took a moment to think. "I think we'll split one," she replied. Dexter put his menu down. "Okay. What do you want on it?" Luna smiled. "I already know," she replied, "Don't worry about it." Dexter was going to object, but he didn't want to upset her. 'I hope she doesn't get something I don't like,' Dexter thought.

When the waiter brought them some waters and asked them what they wanted to eat, Luna smiled at him. "We'll have a large Canadian bacon with pineapple." Dexter thought for a moment. 'Wait a minute. Those are things I like!' The waiter took the menus and Luna smiled at Dexter, as he gave her a stunned look. "You...know what I like on my pizza?" Luna nodded. "Yep and there are a lot more things as well. Mushrooms, green peppers, onions..." Dexter was stunned. "You remembered all that?" Luna nodded. "Well yeah. I mean, we ordered pizza when we were growing up. Plus, I remember you telling me that you were starting to like onions and green peppers a few years ago." Dexter could only blush.

"Well...thank you," he replied, "But are you sure that you like those things too? I would hate it if you ordered a pizza that you didn't like." Luna shook her head quickly. "Don't worry Dexter I like all of that stuff." Dexter didn't know that and had a confession to make. "Luna, I...don't remember what you like on pizza. So, the fact that you know what I like is pretty amazing, and I'm sorry that I'm not as smart as you are." Luna reached out and put her hand on top of Dexter's, which resting on the table. Dexter looked up at her. Luna's face showed her being worried and sad at the same time.

"Dexter. It's okay. Don't be so hard on yourself." She smiled. "I'm not going to be mad. If you don't remember what I like than that's totally fine. Besides, it made for a good surprise for you didn't it?" Dexter nodded. "Well...I've always known you were smart Luna." Luna giggled. "Speaking of which, how's school going? Do you know what you want to go into?" Dexter looked away as he shook his head. "I don't know. I want to do something in math, but I'm not sure what specifically I want to do. I hope by taking a couple of math classes my senior year, I'll be able to find one that I like." Luna smiled.

"That sounds like your feild Dexter. I was thinking about going into teaching." Dexter smiled. "That sounds like fun," he replied. He then sat up and looked excited. "So are you going to come back to New Domino City to go to school?" Luna frowned. "Well...you see...I..." Luna looked down. "I got a scholarship to London University, so...I probably won't be able to start my schooling here." Dexter frowned. "But it'll only be for two years," Luna added, "In fact, I'm thinking I might finish my associate's degree there and then transfer across the Atlantic to a school near New Domino City." Dexter became excited again.

"Really?" he asked and Luna nodded. "Yep. I'll still be gone for a little while, but I'll be back real soon. Plus, Leo can get his Turbo Dueling started in Europe and then he could move here after a few years of experience. With the fact that most of the major Turbo Dueling done over here, it only makes sense to move back." Dexter wanted to run to the other side of the table and hug her. "Well I'm not going anywhere either, so I'll be waiting for ya." Luna smiled and held onto Dexter's hand.

Back outside, Yusei and Akiza were happily walking home from their date. "That food was good," Yusei commented as he kept his right arm around his girlfriend's petite waist. Akiza agreed. "Yeah and they were super quick too." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Yusei. This was great." Yusei and Akiza locked eyes for a moment, enjoying the smiles on the other's face. Suddenly, they heard a rumble coming from Yusei's stomach.

"Yusei. Are you still hungry?" He looked sheepishly at his girlfriend. "Um...well..." Akiza huffed. "Yusei. You ate your whole meal, but if it wasn't enough, you could have ordered dessert." Yusei looked away. "But...I didn't want you getting mad at me for eating too much. I mean, I don't eat as much as I used to, but I'm still hungry quite often. Besides, I didn't want you telling me how bad desert is for me." Akiza sighed.

"Yusei, just because I'm going to become a doctor doesn't mean that I will bug you about eating or what you eat. If you're hungry eat something. Don't feel pressured by me. I want you to be happy and if you're hungry, like you are now, then I want you to eat something." Yusei looked back at her. "Well...where could we go to get something to eat?" They looked around, until Akiza got an idea.

"What if we go to that Pizza Train place that Dexter and Luna went to? They're probably done by now and maybe we could ask the waiter or waitress if they saw them. Maybe they might be able to tell us if anything happened." Yusei nodded. "But what will I eat?" Akiza smiled. "Does cheesecake sound okay?" Yusei's face lit up. "Yeah. Lets go!" He quickly took his lover's hand and they quickly headed for the restaurant.

When they got close to it, Akiza spotted Luna sitting next to a window seat. Yusei, being non-attentive, didn't see her, and was surprised when Akiza pulled him down towards the ground. "Get down!" Akiza whispered and they were soon squatting near a long row of green bushes. "What? What's going on?" Yusei asked. Akiza rolled her eyes. "Dexter and Luna are still there!" Akiza whispered. "Must be a busy night," Yusei replied, "But so what? We could come over and talk to them." Akiza put her hand to her head.

"No! That will ruin their date. A date should just be the two of them." Yusei smiled. "But what about a double date?" he questioned. Akiza sighed. "Just try to avoid having them notice us." Yusei's face firmed up and the walked like ducks until they reached the table that their two friends were sitting at. They were happily eating pizza, when Dexter said something, that caused them both to laugh. Yusei and Akiza quickly scooted by and avoiding being seen. They made it to the entrance and stood up.

"How are we going to get in without being seen?" Yusei asked. Akiza thought to herself. "Maybe we'll suggest a table to sit at," Akiza suggested. Yusei nodded and they walked in together, hand in hand. When they got there, a host met, and greeted them. "Two," Akiza replied, "Can we sit at that table by chance?" She pointed to a booth directly across the room from Luna and Dexter. He nodded and they both sat down quickly, still trying to avoid their friend's gazes. Yusei sat down, but Akiza motioned for him to come over to her side. He did and a waitress came up to them. "What would you two like to drink?" she asked. Yusei looked up as Akiza continued staring at her two friends.

"Two waters," he replied, "And can we make our orders right away? We just want dessert." The girl nodded and took out a pen and pad. "Two cheesecakes with strawberries," he replied and the girl nodded. Once she turned around, Yusei tried to find the best angle to both see how the date was going, but to miss being seen. He slowly crouched down, until he was near the ground, where his legs would normally be. Akiza followed his lead and crouched down above him. Akiza's large chest hanged above Yusei's head.

From what they could tell, the date appeared to be going pretty well. Dexter and Luna were smiling and both seemed content with eating. The waiter gave them the bill and Dexter reached for it. However, Luna swiped it just before he did. He looked up and Luna dangled it while saying something to him. Dexter shook his head and quickly took out his wallet. He grabbed a green bill from it, but Luna shook her head. Luna said something to him, that caused Dexter to look down sadly. Luna got up and sat down next to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and said a few things. Dexter's face brightened and he blushed at the same time. Luna wrapped her right arm around him and smiled. Dexter put his arm around her and they smiled together. Luna went back to her seat and took a wallet out of her pants. When she opened it, even from where Yusei and Akiza were sitting, they could only see green on the inside.

"Hey Akiza," Yusei said, "If you and I get together, will you let me have that much cash in my wallet?" Akiza frowned. "I hope you're not just dating me for my money," she replied and bopped him in the head. "Ow! Not the hair!" Yusei groaned. Akiza watched as the two of them got up and Luna held both the cash and check. Dexter walked over and put an arm around Luna's waist as they went to pay.

"Isn't that wonderful?" Akiza asked as she looked down at Yusei. Suddenly, the waitress came up, holding a slice of cheesecake in each hand. "What are you doing?" she asked at their rather suggestive position. Akiza quickly got back in her seat and Yusei did as well. The waitress gave them a suspicious look as she handed them their food. "Here you go," she replied, "Enjoy." She walked away and the young couple looked at their food. "Are you sure you can eat all that?" Yusei asked as he ate a piece. Akiza's stomach suddenly sounded and they both laughed, before diving into their food.

When Luna and Dexter got back, they stood in front of the door. "Did you have a good time tonight?" Dexter wondered. Luna nodded. "I did. I had a really good time Dexter." Dexter took a deep breath. "That's good," he replied, "I just wanted to make you happy." Luna tilted her head. "I know you did Dexter and I'm proud of you." They both stood there uncomfortably, not really sure how to end it.

"Could I give you a hug?" Dexter had put a arm around one another, but they never had given a full hug. Luna nodded and smiled. "Of course," she replied and they shared their first hug together. It felt warm and inviting. It was something that they, without a doubt, wanted to do again. They finally had to let go and when they did, they got to smile at one another one last time. "Well...have a good night Dexter," Luna said as she opened the door. "Thanks. You too." Dexter replied. When Luna shut the door, Dexter leaped up with an arm in the air. "Yeah!" he cheered happily.

When Yusei and Akiza walked home, they were finally full and happy. "So did you finally get enough?" Akiza asked as they headed back to her house. "Yes," Yusei replied, "But I could ask the same question to you. You were scarfing down that cake pretty fast." Akiza rolled her eyes. "I was just trying to win the eating race," Akiza replied. "I didn't even know that we were in a race," Yusei commented.

"Yeah, because you know I smoked you," Akiza fired right back. "But isn't eating too fast bad for you?" Yusei noted, "Can't you get the hiccups?" Akiza thought about his point. "Um...well..." Yusei put two arms in the air. "Yes! Score one for Yusei!" He then put his hands up and down triumphantly. Akiza just laughed as she gently leaned on him and Yusei joined in. Even though they had their disagreements now and again, they made sure to figure them out together. That way, they could find another reason to love each other even more.

**A/N: Sorry for the quick ending, but I tried to get a little comedy with Yusei and Akiza.**

**Thanks for the support!  
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	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42!  
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**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!  
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**drytacos: Glad you enjoyed their first date. I had planned on not having Yusei and Akiza run into them, but I figured it'd be a little more fun with them involved.  
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********************tom . zhu. 509******************: I figured since it was their first date they might not do too much, so that's why I ended it quickly. Thanks for the review!  
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******Shinn Tsukishiro****: Thanks so much for your support!  
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**This Chapter is sort of a wrap around on how everyone is doing.  
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As Carly was submitting and talking to her editor, the editor had to ask her a particular question. "You know Carly, every time you ask for a day off, it seems as though you have a story to give me about Jack Atlas. This has happened multiple times and I was just wondering why the correlation?" Carly smiled. "Oh well...getting Jack Atlas to do interviews is tough work, so I just wanted to take a day off as a reward for my hard work." The editor had another question.

"I also notice that it's quite unusual to have a female reporter into something like Turbo Dueling. When I asked you what area you wanted to go into and you said Turbo Dueling, I was a bit surprised. You don't seem like the type of girl that would be into this kind of thing." Carly felt a little nervous, but handled the question very well. "Yeah, but I like being around athletes and it lets little girls know that they can go into any field they want." The editor smiled.

"Well that's good. Anyways, thanks for the article." Carly said that she was happy to give it and they said goodbye. When that was over, Jack came over to the bed she was resting on. "You feeling all right?" he asked. Carly nodded. "Yeah. Just not being able to walk, but you know all about that." Jack nodded and understood. This had happened many times. Jack touched a place that was bruised. "You sure you're okay Carly?" She nodded. "I feel great as long as I'm with you," she replied and they shared a kiss.

"But at the same time, I'm worried that people are going to find out about our relationship. What will they say? Could I lose my job?" These were questions that Carly had thought about numerous times. But to Jack, his answer for these questions was simple. "Screw them," he replied, "If they get upset then that's their problem. I can love whoever I want. If that's a news reporter or a dentist or whoever, then that's my decision." Carly smiled. "But what about my job?" she asked. "Don't worry," Jack replied, "I'm making more than enough to support the two of us. I will continue to support you until you're able to find someone who would not judge you, just because you're dating the person you're reporting on." Carly smiled. "Thanks Jack. I love you." They kissed. "I love you too," Jack replied.

As they laid on the bed, Jack knew that there were a lot of women who dreamed on being in Carly's spot right at that moment.

One of them was Mina. She had become a police investigator with Trudge and they had been partners for almost 6 years now. The two had worked together to solve crimes and piece together evidence for cases. When it first started, Trudge knew about Mina's crush on Jack. She had been his assistant for about almost two years and the assignment was given to her by Rex Goodwin. She helped him with his career and certain other things. She felt as though Jack and herself were really close, especially at the start. With Jack not very knowledgeable about how things operated, Mina enjoyed showing him the ropes and getting him to the right places on time. As Jack grew more experienced and his ego started to grow, Jack didn't need Mina much, except for the bare necessities. Mina was fine with the change, even when they started to drift only slightly. It didn't bother her until Yusei came to New Domino City, when he was 17, to get back his Stardust Dragon. After that, was when Mina and Jack really started to separate. Jack didn't really take notice of her anymore and he started worrying about Carly during the Dark Signers battle.

Even after the battle, Mina continued to follow and fawn over Jack. Trudge had developed a crush on her back during the Dark Signers and, for quite a while, he worried that his feelings would never get noticed. He would talk with her during car rides and he would sometimes go out for coffee or lunch with her. Still, the tall, husky officer felt his heart ache every time Mina mentioned Jack Atlas, and how wonderful he was. Trudge tried to impress her with his work and he really hoped that, maybe one day, he could get her to stop drooling over Jack Atlas.

Luckily for Trudge, Jack did all his work for him. When Jack left, it made Mina feel awful. At first, Mina was going to wait for him to come back. But after a few months, she finally decided that she wasn't going to wait forever with him, Even though Mina was in her mid to late twenties, she decided to find someone else. When she told Trudge this, he became really excited. He instantly tried to talk to her as much as possible, even outside of work. Yet, Trudge didn't think he was doing a very good job.

He finally decided to do the exact opposite of what he was doing. 'If Mina won't understand through talking, then I'll just have to be physical with her,' Trudge thought. He wasn't comfortable with the idea, but it was the only thing he could think of. Finally, after work one Friday night, he invited Mina to dinner. Afterwards, they were walking home, when Trudge grabbed her hand. Mina turned to him and he tried to gently pull her along. "Trudge, where are we going?" Mina asked. "Just follow me," he replied and pulled her into an alleyway, where no one would disturb them. When they got there Trudge gently leaned Mina next to the concrete wall.

"Trudge. I don't get it. What are we doing here?" Mina asked. Trudge's face didn't change. He was serious and had a straight look on his face. He knew he was nervous, but if it meant Mina understanding what he was trying to say, then it would be worth it. He cupped Mina's face and gave her a firm kiss on the lips. Mina was obviously shocked by the action. When Trudge leaned back, he looked her square in the eye.

"Mina I love you. I have loved you for a very long time. I want to treat you better than Jack Atlas did. I think you're a flower among weeds. You're smart. You're beautiful. You're voice is like an angel's. I want you to know that I've kept these feelings inside for a very long time. I've tried to talk to you about it, but I've never felt it sink in. So I did the only thing I could do. I know it was wrong of me to force you like that, but it was the only way to tell you how I feel." Trudge took a moment to let it sink in. Her face turned upset.

"If you want to get mad at me, then I totally understand," he said as he took a few steps back and gave her some room. Mina took a few steps forward, still looking mad at him. Even though Trudge was much bigger than her, he was afraid she was going to destroy him. Suddenly, Mina leaned forward and cupped his cheeks. Her lips pressed against his and, before Trudge could even respond, Mina was already starting to make noises that said she was enjoying it. Trudge managed to get a hold of her and her lips and the two kissed for a long minute. Finally, they leaned back and Mina's face was burning red.

"Lets head back to my place," Mina whispered and she took Trudge's hand. Now the roles were reversed and Mina was pulling him somewhere. He followed her and the rest of the night was history. When they met back again on Monday, they were given their assignment and they headed out to the police car together. Trudge got into the driver's seat, but didn't start the car.

"Mina. I have to ask you something. It's about last Friday. I've been wondering if doing these assignments is going to be any different now that we've...um...you know." He turned to Mina and she turned to him. She wasn't buckled in yet, so she quickly jumped into her seat and leaned onto her knees. As soon as Trudge saw this, he watched her lean forward and kiss him firmly on the lips, while cupping his cheeks. When she leaned back, after a good time kissing him, she looked into his eyes.

"Oh they'll be different all right," she responded in a husky voice, "Maybe even tonight we'll..." She then gave him a wink and Trudge blushed. She then sat back down into her seat and buckled up. She straightened out her blue and white dress. "But until then, we've got a job to do." Trudge looked stunned at her a moment, before firming up, and started driving. Ever since then, the two had become very close and were undoubtedly thinking of living together.

For Stephanie, her role was much smaller than Mina's was. She was attracted to Jack, due to being at the cafe often. For a long time, she had believe that Jack wasn't there for the coffee necessarily, and instead for her. So, when she spotted Carly hanging around a couple of times, she instantly grew jealous of her. When Jack was at the shop by himself, she would try to check in on him more often. It might have cost her tips at other tables, but if it meant Jack having an eye on her, it was worth it.

When Jack eventually left New Domino City, to travel the country dueling, Stephanie first thought that she had a shot at Jack, especially since he didn't take Carly with him. After giving it some time to think it through, she ultimately decided to just drop the whole idea. It wasn't going to be worth it, waiting for Jack to return. She didn't know when or if he'd be back, so she decided to instead focus on her schooling, and trying to pay for it by working at the cafe.

Still, with each woman now over Jack, he couldn't help, but be grateful that so many women were after him at one time. Yusei and Akiza had each other and that was it. Crow probably had multiple guys, but that was a whole different story. For Crow, he had found a guy to start dating. Course, it wasn't exactly the easiest of starts. After a tournament, on a Sunday night, a guy came up to Crow, who he did not recognize.

"Hi. I'm Jason," he said as he stuck out his hand. "I'm Crow," Crow replied awkwardly, "What do you need?" Jason smiled. "I heard that you were a pretty good duelist," he replied, "And I just wanted to talk to you." Crow was confused and gave him an odd look. "All right. What team are you from?" Jason giggled. "It's this new team called Team Sun Dance," he replied, "This was only our first tournament, so we were really nervous. I was hoping you could give us some advice for the future." Crow smiled.

"Okay," he replied, "First, the obvious thing is to do is not be nervous. Just go out there and pretend like it's a practice duel." Crow then gave him some more tips and pointers. Jason nodded as he wrote them down. "This is great!" he exclaimed, "Do you think I could have your number and we could talk so more?" Crow nodded. "Sure thing," he replied and they exchanged numbers. When they were done, Jason stood up. "Thanks so much," he replied, before winking at him. "And I like your body." Crow's eyes widened as Jason waked away. Crow put his hands on his hips. 'Maybe he wanted some tips as well as checking me out,' Crow thought to himself.

The following week, it was the first round of a weekly tournament. Crow had been sick the last two days, but he felt much better today and wanted to get going on the opening round. "Okay," he said as he took a seat atop the pit box, "So who are we dueling?" He looked across the pit lane and track, when he spotted someone familiar. "Jason?" Crow cried.

It was almost as if Jason was the only one who heard him. He turned to look at Crow, who had a stunned look on his face. Jason smiled and waved at him. He then walked across the track, which was not being used at the time. Crow quickly got down and then walked over to him. "Jason. I'm dueling you in the first round?" He nodded. "Yep. Kind of odd isn't it?" Crow nodded.

"Anyways, I just wanted to say that I hope we have a great duel." He stuck out his hand and Crow returned it. As Jason walked back towards his pit box, he looked over his shoulder and shouted, "I think you look great in that suit." Crow blushed and quickly went back to his team to get ready. The duel started soon and Crow's team was ahead, when Crow hit the track.

As if fate was being cruel to him, Crow went out to face Jason, who only had 2000 life points left. 'This will be a piece of cake,' Crow thought as he drew his first card. He drove up next to Jason and looked at him. For some reason, all of Crow's confidence and joy went away. He looked at Jason, who had this nervous, worried look on his face. Crow could only look on and feel as though Jason was feeling all the weight of his team bearing down on his shoulders. Crow knew they were just starting out and he felt sorry for him. He looked ahead and then at his deck.

"I draw," Crow shouted and he looked at the card he drew. There was no doubt that the card in his hand could end the duel in one swift turn. Yet for some reason, Crow just couldn't bear the thought of hurting Jason. He could tell that Jason was about to explode in sadness when he lost, not that he blamed him. Crow tried to push the card towards the slot on his Duel Runner, but he found his muscles trying to hold him back. Finally, Crow set the card into his hand slot, and put down a different card. "I place one card face down and end my turn," Crow announced.

Jason managed to attack Crow and his life points went down to 3,000. When Crow took his next draw, he once again got a great card. Yet, he put the card into his hand, place a card face down in defense mode, and ended his turn.

Crow knew what he was doing. He was losing on purpose. He had done it so many times, that he knew just how to act both during and after the duel. Crow had to do it many times with his orphans growing up, so doing it on a national stage didn't seem to phase him. Crow knew had multiple options in how to end the duel, but he just let them slip through his mind. He just couldn't risk hurting Jason. For some reason, Crow just didn't want to beat him. He was a friend, who was trying to move up in the ranks. Even though Crow had the benefit of the WRGP to show off his skills, he had already risen through the ranks and back. Jason, meanwhile, didn't have that luck.

Crow remembered the conversation they had a week ago and how he just wanted some tips. Sure, there was the little compliment at the end, but that wasn't the point. If Crow hadn't been approached by Jason, he wouldn't have the guilt he would feel today if he beat him. However, that wasn't the case. Crow had to suck it up one last turn, before Jason finally beat him. When Crow made it back to his team, they were obviously upset.

"Sorry you guys," Crow said, "Just got some bad draws." Once his teammates heard this, they were nicer to Crow. "Could you at least show us your hand?" one of the them asked, as they were not allowed to spy on the duelist's hand. Crow shook his head. "Sorry. I already put the cards back in my deck." Crow had made sure to quickly stuff his hand back into his deck and have it reshuffled before he made it back to the pit lane. Crow looked across the track to see Jason and his team celebrating. It brought a smile to Crow's face seeing them happy.

Crow's team was forced to get up early for the consolation rounds for the rest of the tournament, since the TV coverage of the Championship rounds was in the afternoon. His team beat everyone 3-0 each time, even in the consolation final. Crow knew that they had a possible shot at winning the tournament overall, but seeing Jason and his team win made him feel better about it.

Crow was getting ready to leave and the championship rounds, including ones who had lost in later rounds, were about to begin. When he was about to grab his bag, he noticed someone standing behind him. "Hey Jason," Crow said, as he recolonize his medium length black hair. Jason got closer to him. "Thanks for the great duel we had the other day." He stuck out his hand and Crow shook it. "Thanks. You did a great job in beating me." Jason's face firmed up.

"I know you lost on purpose," Jason replied quickly. Crow's smile went away. "What are you talking about?" Crow asked, "You beat me fair and square." Jason shook his head. "I know you had cards in your hand that easily could have beat me. I watched you on your first turn struggling to put a card down. It was obvious that you didn't want to put it in play. I then watched you make moves that are unlike your playing style and that even the most conservative duelist wouldn't make. When someone's up like that in a duel, you go on the offensive, and knowing you, defense isn't really your style."

Crow was stunned. It was if Jason was inside of his head the whole time. Not only that, but he knew that he had lost on purpose. Not even Jack or Yusei noticed when he did that, and they were with him most of his life. Crow put his head down. "Okay. I admit it," Crow replied, "I just...didn't want to lose our friendship. You remind me of myself when I first started and moved up in the ranks. I...just couldn't hurt you." Jason smiled and leaned in close to Crow.

"Well that's very sweet of you," Jason replied. He quickly put his arm around Crow and Crow's eyes opened wide as Jason finished his move. Crow closed his eyes and he soon was watching Jason head out of the tunnel for the rest of the dueling. Crow picked up his bag and smiled to himself. "That Jason kid's going to be something special," Crow said to himself and he walked out of the locker room.

Across the country, there was a major heat wave, and New Domino City was in the middle of it. Luna cheered as she jumped into her Tops pool. She swam over to Dexter, with a big grin on her face. As she got closer, Dexter felt increasingly nervous. Luna put her hands on his shoulders. "This feels great," Luna said as she caught her breath. "Uh...yeah," Dexter replied nervously. Luna noticed his tone in voice.

"Dexter, what's wrong?" She saw her reflection in his goggles. "Nothing," he replied, "It's just that...I'm a bit nervous with you being so close to me." Luna gasped. "Oh. I'm sorry," she replied. She let go of him and took a few steps back. "No. No," he replied, but then sighed to himself. "It's just that...I want to be close to you, yet I feel nervous when you are. I...really don't know what to do. I'm sorry." Luna smiled as she walked back over to him.

"Here. How about I lean with my back against the wall, as I stand next to you?" She did the action and looked down at him. "This way, I'm both close to you and I'm not invading your personal space." Dexter smiled and they both looked ahead. Although they were towards the deeper end of the pool, they still managed to look out into the city skyline. "It sure is a nice view isn't it?" Luna asked as she turned to her boyfriend. Dexter looked over at her. "Uh...yeah. It's great," he replied. Luna put one of her long arms around his shoulder.

"There are moments like this that I wish would last forever," Luna continued, "It's hot outside, but I'm in a nice cool pool with you Dexter." Dexter blushed as they looked at one another. Luna gave him a warm smile and he tried to reflect it back at her. He rested his head against her shoulder and thought about just how wonderful a day it was and how wonderful of a girlfriend he truly had.

A few blocks away, Akiza and Yusei didn't have to worry about the heat, as they were inside getting eye exams. They had scheduled them back to back with the same doctor, which pleased both him and the other employees. As soon as one was done, they could immediately get started on the other. Akiza was up first and was just getting a quick check up.

"Now are we still trying to get you into contacts?" the doctor wondered. Akiza nodded. "Yes, but I would still like to be able to wear glasses. Just in case I don't like the feel of contacts." The doctor smiled. "That's fine," he replied, "In fact, we could test it out one of the times you head out to Germany and see how it goes. If you prefer glasses, we could send them out to you, or if you prefer contacts, you can wear those instead."

As Yusei watched and listened to them discuss Akiza's options, he remained silent on his view of the situation. In truth, he didn't want Akiza to get contacts and he secretly hoped that she didn't enjoy them. Ever since Akiza had gotten her red framed glasses, Yusei had never been more attracted to her. That wasn't to say he didn't think she was attractive before, but there was something that made him happier seeing her with frames on. Maybe it was that it showed off her gorgeous brown eyes or maybe that it gave more attention to her face. Either way, or many other possible reasons why, he was flat out more attracted to her.

Yet, he remained silent. Yusei didn't want to tell Akiza how she should live her life or what she should look like. If she wanted contacts, that was her decision, and Yusei had no right to tell her it was wrong. As he adjusted his glasses, waiting for his appointment, he could only hope that Akiza would choose the decision that he agreed with. He watched the doctor dim the lights and ask her which glass looked better to her.

Later, it was Yusei's turn for a appointment. The doctor said that he would have to dilate his eyes, just to be sure there wasn't any disease forming. The doctor kept Yusei's eyes opened as he put the drops in and Akiza was there with a handkerchief, to help him wipe off the excess solution. As they waited for Yusei's eyes to become dilated, Akiza sat next to Yusei in a small waiting area. Yusei had brought a pair of clip in sunglasses, to help avoid having constant light on his eyes.

"Akiza. I'm bored and I can't see to well. Can you read me something?" She looked around at the other people waiting. "I don't want to disturb the other patients, Yusei. But..." She got out her phone and found an article. "Here's an article about Jack that Carly wrote." Yusei sighed as he took the electronic device. Sure enough, it was filled with how great Jack was and how he was going to destroy everyone. Akiza watched as Yusei was reading from her phone. He put the screen so close to his face that he easily could have licked off it.

"Yusei. Are you having trouble?" Yusei looked up. "No," he whispered and went back to squinting at the screen. Akiza just chuckled and rolled her eyes. Yusei could be so stubborn sometimes. Yusei leaned over and showed her the screen. "Akiza. What does this word say?" he asked. Akiza looked at him and gave him a smirk. "This is not that I can't see," Yusei replied, "It's just that there might be a spelling error in the article." Akiza rolled her eyes once more and helped him out.

When the doctor went to check in on Yusei's eyes, he smiled as he was finished. "It looks like there isn't anything wrong," he replied as he turned the lights back on, "But I'm very glad that you're coming in for appointments anyways. Most young people think that something can't happen to them, but you're taking the time just to be sure." He looked at Akiza. "Of course, when you're going to become a doctor someday, it only makes sense why you'd be here." Akiza smiled.

"I want to be here, so that both myself and Yusei have healthy eyes. I know that he loves staring into my beautiful eyes, but I want him to know that I enjoy looking into _his_ beautiful eyes just as much." Yusei gasped and his cheeks trickled pink. The older and wiser doctor smiled as both Akiza and him saw Yusei's embarrassed expression. As the doctor cleaned up, he commented, "You two sure do love each other." It was now Akiza's turn to match Yusei's blush, as they smiled at one another.

The doctor finished up some paperwork. "I won't need to see you for a while Yusei, but I do enjoy seeing you come with on Akiza's appointments. You two young lovers remind me of myself when I was your age, and I wish you all the best." They both thanked him for the compliment and headed out on their way. With Yusei's eyes not being completely focused, Akiza offered to drive Yusei's car for him.

Yusei declined and instead thought that they could take Akiza's limo. Akiza asked why, to which Yusei replied, "I don't want you having to do more work for me Akiza. You should be able to relax and enjoy the time you get to spend here. I don't want you having to deal with the hassle of driving us home." Akiza smiled at Yusei's generosity and they now found themselves climbing into that said limo. After they got buckled up, the limo starting rolling along.

"Hey Akiza," Yusei said as he took off his sunglasses, "Do you really enjoy staring into my eyes?" Akiza looked at him. "Well yeah. Why else would I say it?" Yusei looked down at his feet. "I dunno know. It's just that...I do enjoy staring into your eyes." Yusei grabbed Akiza's hand and lifted it to chest level. "You will always have the most beautiful eyes Akiza. More beautiful than anyone else."

"Yusei," Akiza whispered, before putting her other hand on top of his. The two just looked into one another's eyes, with no words being said. As they stared at one another, except for the occasional blinking, it felt as though something deep inside them was growing. As the limo drove down the freeway, they knew this feeling all too well, and it had continued to grow even more throughout their relationship.

And this feeling was love.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed sort of a wrap around of most of the characters in the story.**

**Thanks for all of your support!  
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	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43!**

**A/N: I have a really big test this week, so I spent a lot of time on that. I apologize for the wait.**

**drytacos: Don't worry. They're on year 6 of 8 and there's a lot that's going to happen towards the end!  
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********Shinn Tsukishiro******: Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!  
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**********************tom . zhu. 509********************: Glad you were happy about it. I think Carly's article was about Jack's win, but you can really make it whatever you want.  
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Dexter knew that Luna was going to have to fly back to London a few more times, before she would stay in New Domino City for good. He didn't blame her, especially with getting a scholarship. At the same time, he did get that feeling of being lonely again. It would be his senior year at Duel Academy, yet he wasn't going to feel the same excitement that other seniors felt. When Luna was going to say goodbye, he wanted to make it special. This was the first time he ever had a girlfriend and he felt as though he should leave her on a good note, before she left.

For Yusei and Akiza, they were used to leaving each other. It was hard, yes, but it meant that there was one less time that they would have to do it. Yusei helped Akiza out as much as he could with her online class. He was with her for her remaining sessions, even when he could have been doing work or something else. It really meant a lot to Akiza when he took time out of his day, just for her. They would always share a kiss when they were done and they were just as affectionate with one another. Akiza told Yusei many times that she was grateful for his help and he always said that it was no problem. When she got a B and passed the class, they went out for ice cream as a reward. Yusei enjoyed sitting next to her, as they ate. He put his arm around her back and they smiled when they were done. All of their work had been worth it.

When they had to say their goodbye, it was simple enough. Akiza went to Yusei's and they cuddle on the couch one more time. "Hey Yusei," Akiza started as Yusei played with her hair. "Mmmph?" he asked. Akiza smiled as she leaned in close. "You know how you said that you had 3 favorite moments from dueling and one of them was when I used Stardust Dragon?" Yusei thought about it for a moment. "Oh yeah. What'd you want to know?" Akiza rolled her eyes at his stupidity. "Will you tell me what those other two are?" Yusei sighed. "Well...I was saving this for another time, but I guess I can tell you right now." He sat up and Akiza followed.

"One of the three was when you summoned my most powerful monster," Yusei continued, "And the other two are: when we dueled each other at the Fortune Cup and when I dueled you at the hospital." Akiza gave him a blank stare, but Yusei smiled at her. "So those are my 3 favorite moments. I don't really have a particular order, so you can decided which one is best." Yusei tried to get up to use the restroom, but Akiza pulled on his shoulder.

"Whoa! Whoa! We have to talk about this for a minute." Yusei sat back down and had an annoyed look on his face. 'Now I'll never get to pee,' Yusei thought. Akiza spoke up, which caused Yusei to forget about his bathroom needs. "What do you mean the Fortune Cup and our duel at hospital are the other two?" Yusei didn't get what she was talking about. "What? Do you want a fourth one?" Akiza shook her head.

"So those two little duels are more important to you than the ones that saved the world? Against ZONE? Against Goodwin? Any time you dueled Jack? Crow? Anyone?" Yusei shrugged. "Yeah. It's not even close." Akiza's mouth dropped. "How are three duels, all involving me, your favorite? There are so many better ones you could chose from, not to mention the fact that I lost all 3." Yusei looked a little surprised, but then wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "But even though you lost them, it doesn't change the fact that you're the best duelist in the world Akiza. But what's even more important is that you're a special person in my eyes. Someone who could never be replaced." Akiza looked at him.

"I'm...special?" Yusei nodded. "Yes! Of course you are Akiza! Before my duels with you, I wanted to find out more about you and I wanted to help you. I wanted to be your friend." Akiza smiled. "When I gave you my Stardust Dragon card, it felt like a sign of just how far we had come. Before, our Dragons were fighting one another, but then they were fighting side-by-side. I know that you helped with both ZONE and the Dark Signers too, so I didn't forget our Dragons being together during those moments as well." Akiza smiled. "But still...what made those moments better than saving the world?" Yusei tilted his head slightly.

"Because getting the opportunity to help you realize that you're not a monster, to help you go into normal society again, and to help you become reunited with your family are moments that make me feel something inside of me. It's a warmth and joy, that I cannot describe. Even as I talk about it right now, I feel that same joy, and happiness rush though my veins. I'm so proud that I got to help you Akiza, because I have always believed in you. When I gave you my Stardust Dragon, something I had never done to that point, it felt amazing to let you know just how much I both believed in and trusted you. That same joy and happiness rushed through me once more and I knew it was something special. I have only felt these feeling with and for you Akiza. I have never felt it with anyone else and I know I never will. I love you Akiza."

Akiza looked into Yusei's sky blue eyes. To know that he felt this strongly about those moments made her heart swell with joy. She put her arms around him and gave him a big kiss on the lips. "I love you too Yusei," she said once she leaned back. They smiled at one another. "The fact that you feel so strongly about those two duels is great. Not to mention doing something as simple as giving me a card is amazing." Yusei chuckled. "Well Akiza, everything you do is amazing, so I wouldn't say that I'm the only person here who is amazing." Akiza now chuckled back at him and they kissed again.

Once Akiza said goodbye to Yusei, it was time for the twins to leave a couple weeks later. As Dexter headed over to Luna's, he thought about two things. The first was what they had done over the past couple of months. They had only gone out on the one date and tonight would be the second. When they scheduled it over the phone, Luna was insistent about one thing. "I'm paying for dinner Dexter." Dexter sighed. "Luna. You don't have to do that." Luna wasn't going to give up.

"I'm going to pay for everything Dexter. Don't worry. It's just a small family restaurant, so we're not going out to a a big fancy place with $100 bills. Don't worry about it." Dexter sighed. "All right Luna. I'll pick you up at 7."

As Dexter walked, he knew that Luna and him hadn't done very much together. He blamed most of that on himself, as he didn't like going out to different places. He apologized to Luna, as she had invited him a couple of times to go out. Still, Luna had to keep in mind that Dexter had never been the type to go out. She visited his house a couple of times and checked in on him. Dexter enjoyed the company and loved running up to meet her at the door. He would give her a big hug and Luna happily returned it. They still hadn't kissed, but their hugs still felt good. They loved looking at one another and smiling. \One time, however, Luna convinced Dexter to go mini-golfing.

Luna was having trouble holding onto the putter. "Here," Dexter offered, "Why don't I help you?" Luna looked up. "Sure. That'd be great." Dexter smiled as he stepped in next to her. "Here. Make a thumbs up with your left hand." Luna did. "Now put that at the top of the putter." Luna followed his instruction. "Now do the same with your right had, but wrap your other fingers around your left thumb." Luna did. "There you go," Dexter said happily. Luna laughed. "Great! Thanks so much Dexter."

As they played their round, Dexter noticed some teenage boys watching them. As always, Luna was wearing short shorts and Dexter could only think that they were watching her and her butt. Dexter tried to stand behind her, but he also didn't want to disturb Luna as she played. "What are you doing Dexter?" Luna asked as she lined up a putt. "Uhhh...nothing," Dexter replied as he stepped away. He saw the young men looking at her and he could only sighed.

Unknown to him, Luna had noticed the guys as well. She didn't enjoy them staring at her either and tried to do her best, to help them finish quickly, and keep the guys from looking at them. As they left, they spotted the guys watching them, as they went into the limo. "She's beautiful and has money," one of them said as Luna sat down in the seat. She gave them a mean stare and slammed the door shut. Luna then quickly turned to Dexter and gave him a much kinder smile.

The second thing on Dexter's mind was in his pocket. 'Was I too cheap?' he wondered to himself. Luna deserved nice things, but the only problem was that Dexter couldn't afford them. He knew that Luna understood and that was why she wanted to pay for dinner so badly. Still, Dexter felt guilty and really hoped that she would love what he had bought for her.

Still, as Luna waited at the Tops, she looked out into the city from the rooftop. Her mind was on Dexter. She knew that she had never kissed him and that didn't upset her at all. She wanted the moment to be special, but it so far hadn't come up yet. Despite that, they were still very affectionate with one another. Even with that, Luna felt as though she wanted something more. Whenever Dexter was around, Luna had to hold back. She just wanted to put her arms around him and show him just what a wonderful guy he was.

Luna finally had someone to give her lots of love and affection and she wanted to return those feelings right back to him. Dexter obviously felt the same way, especially with how often he loved to hug or hold her hands. Yet, Luna held back from going any further. Once Luna and Dexter kissed, Luna would ask him if it was okay to open up more to him than she was right now. Until then, Luna would wait and just be fine with hugs and holding hands.

The doorbell rang and Luna went to answer it. "Coming," she said as she jogged to the door, knowing who was there. When she opened it, she was greeted with a big hug. "Hey Dexter," Luna replied happily as she returned the hug right back, "Ready to go?" Dexter nodded and Luna locked the door. Once she turned around, Dexter quickly put his arm around her. "I hear it's a good night to walk there," Dexter noted and Luna nodded.

Once they got downstairs, Dexter remembered that his surprise for Luna was in his right pocket. At the same time, he noticed that his right pocket was leaning up against her. 'Crap! She's going to feel it, and then want to know what it is.' Dexter thought. He suddenly let go of her and went around to the other side. Luna stopped and asked him what he was doing. "Just...switching sides," he replied, "You're beautiful from both sides, so I wanted to give them equal treatment." Luna looked puzzled. "All...right," she replied, despite not understanding the meaning.

When they got to the restaurant, Dexter could already tell that he was nervous. Luna had taken note of the fact that his hand was moist when they were walking and she decided that it would be best to try and calm him down. Once they got a table and quickly ordered, Luna reached across the table and took Dexter's hand. He seemed more nervous than even on their first date. "Dexter. What's wrong? You seem nervous." Dexter shook his head.

"Nervous? Me? No! I'm great. Just great." Luna sighed quietly to herself. She knew that Dexter was used to having to hide his emotions in. Until she had started calling him everyday, he must have obviously been keeping his emotions inside, especially when he was bullied in school. "Dexter. I know you're used to keeping your emotions inside, but I want you to know that if you're even upset, come and talk to me. I will listen to whatever it is you have to say." As kind as Luna's words were, Dexter felt like he would eventually spill the beans on what he was doing.

'I'm just so obvious,' he thought, 'Luna can tell exactly what I'm thinking.' Dexter tried to get a firm hold on Luna's hand. "Thanks Luna. I'll remember that." Luna sighed. After all these years of being friends with Dexter, she could read him like a book. Right now, she could easily see that he was holding something inside. She decided to change the subject. "So are you excited about school?" Dexter shrugged. "Kind of. I mean, it is our senior year, so that should be fun." Luna nodded. "At least you won't have to deal with kids picking on you if you're a senior." Dexter looked down. "Yeah. Maybe." Luna caught her breath.

Were kids really that cruel that they would target Dexter, even when he's the oldest in the school? Did kids have to treat him so terribly? This was exactly the reason why she wished she could stay in New Domino City and not have to fly across the Atlantic. Luna would stick by him and let those other kids know that she would not tolerate them picking on her boyfriend. With Luna's height, it could easily make the guys intimidated. Not to mention, she might be able to get a good "kick" out of them. Still, Luna reassured him, yet again, if anything was wrong, that he could come talk to her.

"I will Luna. I've told you about a lot things when we've talked back and forth and I've appreciated just how much time you've spent with me." Luna smiled again and they started talking about Leo. Once his senior year was over with, Leo had found a minor league type Dueling League in Europe. Luna admitted that she still wasn't comfortable with him doing something so dangerous, but having him grow up to admire Jack Atlas was something that she should expect. Leo had success in the league he was in over this past Summer, so Luna knew that he could eventually make it to the pros.

While they enjoyed talking about Leo and then how Yusei and Akiza were doing, they also stressed how much they were going to miss each other. "I know you'll do well in school," Dexter replied, "You always do." Luna smiled. "Thanks, but I know you'll do well too." They both tried to smile, even though they both wished they could stay together. Luckily, their food came a short while later and they could let the food do the talking for them. Sure enough, they were left with the bill, and Luna quickly took hold of it. She didn't let Dexter see the total, as she knew he was smart enough to figure out a 20% tip. Dexter sighed, as he knew there was no way he could win, and instead just ate his food.

Once they were done, they each got up, and Dexter quickly took Luna's hand. They walked to the counter and Dexter saw how much Luna was spending. He sighed at both Luna's kindness and the fact that he wasn't paying for it. Although, he did have something that might sort of be like a payment to her. 'Of course, it won't make up for all the times we've gone out,' Dexter thought to himself as they made their way back outside.

They walked next to one another side-by-side. Luna being a full head taller than him. As Dexter walked, he kept looking at Luna's neck. Luna spotted him and turned to look at him. "Is something wrong?" Dexter shook his head "no." Luna smiled at him and tried to make the situation a little more upbeat. After all, they had been separated before, but this was the first time they would be separated as a couple. It didn't take long, before they were at the Tops again. They looked up at the large building and then went inside.

As they got to the top, Dexter thought of what he should do, and how he should present it. 'I need to find someplace nice,' he thought, 'I can't do it standing in the doorway.' Before they got to the top, he spoke up. "Luna, could I stay for a little while or is that not okay?" Luna looked at him and understood what he might be feeling. Yet, she was more than happy to let him stay. "It's perfectly fine with me," she replied, "Leo's saying goodbye to his dueling buddies too, so he won't be home until late." As the door dinged, Luna added, "Feel free to stay as long as you'd like." Dexter blushed at Luna's generosity, but he didn't want to be rude, and stay too long.

When they got to the door, Luna opened it and let Dexter in. As he stepped inside, he spotted the patio, which Luna had been standing on earlier. He saw the overlook of New Domino City. 'That'd be perfect' Dexter thought, 'But how to lure her over there?' Dexter headed for the couch, as it was usually the first place he went to. 'Maybe I'll have to guide he over there or start the conversation with something simple.' Dexter broke out of his train of thought as Luna spoke up. "Do you want anything to drink?" Luna offered and Dexter looked up.

"Water's good," he replied. Luna smiled and headed back towards the kitchen. Dexter sighed as he watched her walk in her memorizing short shorts and long legs. 'How can someone so beautiful be in love with me?' Suddenly, it hit him. 'Wait! We've never told each other that we love one another! We've said that we _like _one another, but never _love!'_ Dexter now knew that he had two problems at once. Of course, he could knock both of them out of the park with just one one swing. He started thinking long and hard on how he could get from Point A to Point B.

As Luna brought the glasses over, she noticed Dexter thinking hard. 'He must be thinking of how to say goodbye to me,' Luna concluded. It instantly made her feel warm inside as well as some other emotions. Dexter truly cared about her and that was what made him so much fun to be around. She set the glasses down and awoke Dexter from his thoughts. "Thinking about something?" Dexter looked up. "Um...yeah." Luna sat down and tried to sit at an angle. She then put her right arm around Dexter's broad shoulders. "Is there something you need to say?" Luna questioned, now wondering if the reason Dexter was staying was for a goodbye. Dexter reached out for the glass of water.

"I don't know," he replied, "Maybe in a little bit." Luna was grateful he was taking so much time with this. It was something that they never had done before, so it only made sense why he was so worried about it. Although Dexter didn't realize it, Luna sat, and watched him think. Every now and then she looked away, but she didn't want to disturb Dexter's thoughts by turning on the TV or talking about something else. She didn't mind waiting, as both her and Dexter took sips every now and again of water. Finally, Dexter decided on something.

"I have to use the restroom," he announced, "I'll be back in a little bit." Luna watched him get up and go upstairs towards the bathroom. When Dexter got inside, he locked the door, and breathed a big sigh. "Okay. Dexter. You can do this." He did go to the bathroom, but he adjusted his hair and made sure he looked good after he washed his hands. He took out the small box and closed his eyes.

'Please enjoy and accept this gift,' he thought very nervously to himself.

He then put the box back in his pocked and dried his hands once more. He shut off the light and went to the stairs, only to find Luna at the bottom. He quickly went down to the last step. "Were you waiting for me?" Dexter asked. Luna smiled and closed her eyes. "Yeah. Just to make sure you were all right," she replied. Dexter quickly took her hand, which caused her to quickly open her eyes. "Luna...can we go stand out on the patio?" Luna nodded. "Sure thing Dexter." They walked hand in hand and Dexter had to resist putting his arm around her waist. He was scared and wanted to just hug her in fear.

When they got outside, a cool breeze met them. Dexter shivered as it went up his nervous spine, but Luna didn't seem to notice one bit. "Here," Dexter replied, "Lets stand over there." He pulled Luna over to a spot, away from the covered up pool and lawn chairs. He looked out towards the huge city that they both called home. "It sure is a nice view isn't it?" Dexter asked. Luna looked out over it. "It sure is," she replied. Dexter faced her and Luna turned to face him. Luna could tell there was nervousness on Dexter's face and she could tell he was slightly shaking.

"Dexter. Is anything wrong?" Dexter finally reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. He placed it in both hands and held it out to her. "Here," he said. Luna gasped and Dexter continued, with his eyes closed and head facing the ground. "I...I don't what to call it. A going away present. A Birthday present. Or even a Christmas Present." He sighed.

"Oh just say it. I'm cheap and it's all three rolled into one. After all, I won't be able to be with you during those days." Luna's face softened. "Dexter," she said softly under her breath. Dexter spoke up once more. "I...don't know what to say. It's not very expensive and I'm sorry it's so cheap, but it's all I can really afford on a tight budget. All I can say is...I hope you enjoy it." Luna smiled as she looked at the small box. It was very small and wrapped with a little too much tape. It was Dexter's wrapping all right. Luna took the box and Dexter re-opened his eyes. He looked at her as she unwrapped the box.

"I'm sorry it's so sloppy and I'm sorry if you don't like," he said as Luna took off the paper and saw the small gray box. She lifted up the lid and gasped. "Oh Dexter! It's beautiful!"

Inside, was a small, thin chain. At the end, was a small, tear-drop shaped, red jewel. Luna saw the price tag in the corner and knew it was not super expensive. However, it didn't mind her one bit. She smiled as she look at the necklace and then at Dexter. "Oh Dexter! It's wonderful." Dexter's face became more hopeful. "Could you try it on?" Luna nodded. "Sure thing! Lets go to a mirror to see how it looks!" They quickly went inside and went to the bathroom downstairs. Luna struggled with the packaging. "Here. Do you want any help?" Dexter offered. Of course, as soon as he said that, the necklace came undone. "Nope. I've got it," Luna said and took the necklace out. She then put the chain around her long, flowing green hair, and the down to her neck. She flipped the back of her hair from it and then examined herself in the mirror, as Dexter stood in the doorway. "It looks great," Dexter commented and Luna turned to him. She put her hands to her lips, as she hadn't really thanked him yet.

"Come on," Luna said as she quickly turned off the light and grabbed Dexter's hand. She brought him back outside, close to the location they were at before. They then faced one another. Luna looked down at the man who had just gotten her her gift. "I just want to thank you Dexter. It's a wonderful gift." Dexter blushed. "Well...sorry it's so cheap," he replied, "I knew I should have gotten you something better." Luna shook her head. "No. It's wonderful Dexter. I love it." Luna gasped as she realized what she just said. Dexter looked curiously at her, as Luna's face quickly firmed up.

She knew what she was about to say and she knew she had wanted to say it for quite some time. Now, she finally had a reason, but mostly the confidence to say it. She put her arms around Dexter and he followed suit, not knowing what was coming next.

"I love it Dexter, because I love you." Dexter blushed. "I love you too...Luna." Luna put her hands on his neck and started leaning forward. Dexter gasped as her face got closer. Luna tried to smile, but it was clear that she was nervous. Dexter was nervous as well and Luna saw this. So, she closed her eyes, letting him know it was all right and it was okay. Dexter closed his eyes and they closed the final distance. As their lips met, they couldn't describe what they were feeling. Happiness, joy, relief. It all seemed to mix together. They held their pose as long as they could, but Dexter's smaller lungs gave out in need of air. He leaned back and Luna did too, but she wasn't at all upset he moved backwards. They leaned back, looking into one another's eyes.

"You were my first kiss," Dexter embarrassingly admitted. Luna chuckled. "And you were mine first as well." Dexter blushed and Luna leaned in close. "How about you be my second?" Luna asked in a whisper. Dexter looked stunned for a moment, before realizing what she meant. He then started nodding. Luna leaned forward and they kissed once more. This time, Luna bumped Dexter's lower lip with her tongue. He leaned back and looked frightened.

"It's okay," Luna reassured him, "We won't go overboard. Just relax." Dexter was nervous. "I don't know. I've never done this before." Luna smiled. "Neither have I. So, why don't we find out together?" Dexter was still nervous, but Luna's comforting embrace made him feel a little better. Besides, you only live once, so why not? Dexter slowly nodded and they went back to kissing once more. They started moaning in delight at their first make out session. Luna politely bumped Dexter's lower lip and he opened his mouth only slightly, as he didn't wanted to end the kiss. Luna sneaked her tongue into his mouth and got a taste of him. 'He's so sweet' Luna thought and she soon retracted her tongue.

Dexter nervously bumped her lip, as he tried the same thing. Even though Luna was just as experienced as he was, Luna helped him out. Dexter was clearly nervous, even as they repeated what happened before. 'She's so sweet,' Dexter thought as Luna guided him through the process once more. When they were done, they each leaned back, to give one another a sign that everything was okay. "Did you have fun?" Luna asked. Dexter nodded. "Yeah. Wow! That was amazing. But...were you okay?" Luna smiled and nodded. "I am. I really enjoyed it Dexter." She leaned over his right shoulder.

"Just like I enjoy you." Dexter blushed as they shared a hug together. When they were done, Luna leaned back with her hands on his shoulders. "I'll wear this necklace everyday," she said. Dexter looked at it. "No. You don't have to do that," he replied, "You could just wear it on special occasions or something if that sounds better. After all, it's not very expensive and could get broken easily." Luna shook her head.

"I want to wear it everyday," she proclaimed, "Akiza has a necklace that Yusei got her and it costs about as much as this one. Every time she wears it, it reminds her of Yusei. So every time I wear this one, I'll think of you." Dexter blushed. "Well...that's very sweet of you," Dexter commented. Luna leaned forward and cupped his cheeks. She then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you Dexter." He looked surprised for a moment, before smiling. "I love you too Luna."

The next day, Yusei called Akiza on a video call. "Hey. This morning, the twins left for London," Akiza said a little while into the conversation. Yusei nodded. "Do you think Luna and Dexter said goodbye to one another?" Akiza giggled. "I'm pretty sure they did. After all, Dexter gave her a necklace before she left." Yusei smiled. "Yeah. I heard about that too." Akiza and Yusei smiled at one another, as the situation Luna and Dexter were in, was similar to what they were in a few years ago. "Do you think they'll make a good match?" Yusei asked. Akiza giggled.

"If they're in the same situation we were in, I can only imagine how far those two will go." Yusei nodded as he thought about it too.

**A/N: If you see Luna (in the show), in the future, she's wearing the necklace I tried to describe in this Chapter. I figured I could make a story behind it, so this is how she got it.**

**Thanks for your support and patience!  
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	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44!  
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**Sorry for the long wait. I had some things that came up, that needed to focus on before writing. I apologize for it.  
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********Shinn Tsukishiro******: Thanks so much! It really means a lot to me when you say that.  
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************************tom . zhu. 509: Oh. Sorry.**********************  
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**Thanks for all the favorites and alerts as well as reviews and hits! Sorry I haven't included them before!  
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As everyone got back to their usual lives of dueling, school, and work, things seemed to get back into the usual swing of things. Crow and Jack started winning and Akiza had just one more year of classes, before having two years of interning. Once that was over, Akiza would be an officially licensed doctor and could stay back home in New Domino City.

Yet, for Luna and Dexter things were well...awkward. It was great having a nice goodbye and all that, but they were both a little sad having to depart. They decided to turn to the people who they knew best and would know the most about romance: Akiza and Yusei. Now, of course, even after dating Akiza for 5 years going on 6, Yusei still wasn't an expert on romance. It really showed when Dexter decided to ask Yusei some romantic questions.

"So...uh...what should I do when a girl says I'm cute?" Yusei's eyes widened. "Um...what?" he asked. Dexter repeated the question. "What do I when a girl says I'm cute?" Yusei stared into space. "Uhhhhhhh..." he moaned. Dexter rolled his eyes. "Okay. Bad question..." Yusei quickly put a finger in the air. "I've got it! You can say...oh wait. That wouldn't work." Dexter sighed. "I wonder how well Luna's doing," he mumbled to himself.

Luckily for Luna, talking with Akiza about trying to both be a couple and be miles away was not very difficult. The time zones were much much closer and Akiza was remarkably better when it came to being romantic over a long distance. Luna stressed that the reason they wanted to talk to them, was now that their relationship was at a new level, as far as affection goes, would it be possible to still be affectionate with just a screen?

"Absolutely," Akiza said with a ton of confidence, "You can still be affectionate while also being far away from on another. The most obvious one is saying things like 'I love you.' However, you can also do small things, such as give them a smile or wink. I can't tell you how many times I left Yusei with a suggestive wink and his face turns flushing red." They both laughed. "Don't worry Akiza. I've done that to Dexter before. He's so cute when he's embarrassed." The two girls laughed and gossiped about their boyfriends some more.

"You know when Yusei gets nervous or bored?" Akiza asked, "He starts to twist and pull on his hair." Luna's eyes widened. "No way!" Akiza nodded. "Yeah. One time, one of his spikes was shorter then usual, so I said something about it and Yusei started worrying that he was going bald already." Luna laughed. "Yeah. Yusei is a terrible liar. I remember this one time..."

_Flashback_

Back when Leo and Luna were younger, they saw Yusei on his laptop, when they came home from school. It was raining outside and Yusei had nothing better to do. Yusei looked over his shoulder and spotted Leo and Luna. "Hey you guys," he greeted them in a friendly voice. "Hey Yusei," they replied as they went downstairs. They watched as he then made a few quick clicks and the screen quickly changed. "What was that Yusei?" Luna asked as Yusei started nervously scrolling through a sports page.

"Uh...nothing," he replied. The twins looked at one another. "Well, you obviously were looking at something," Leo noted as they looked back at the older gentlemen. "Uh...no I wasn't," Yusei replied and quickly tried to look busy. Leo wasn't buying it. "Why won't you tell us what is was?" Leo questioned. Yusei sighed. "It was important Duel Runner stuff. You wouldn't understand." Leo and Luna rolled their eyes. "Yusei. It's a Duel Runner," Luna replied, "You try use big words and make it sound super complicated. Yet, we all know that it's really not that difficult." Yusei sighed. "Okay. It wasn't that stuff, but it isn't anything you guys should be looking at." Leo stared at Yusei's lean body as he spoke.

"Yusei. You seem really nervous." Yusei looked at them. "How can you tell?" Leo put his hand on his back. "You can see some bone sticking out of your shoulder. Not to mention your arms are really tense." Leo put his hand on Yusei's long, thin arm and gently squeezed it. Yusei tried to relax, as he was just in his black and red undershirt. However, it was obvious that Yusei was tense. "You're definitely tense," Luna noted. Yusei sighed.

"Can't you guys work on your homework or something?" Yusei asked. "We're all done," Luna replied. Yusei looked at Leo. "Even you?" Leo put his hands on his backpack straps. "She didn't give us out any homework." Yusei put his head in his hand and looked upset. "Well..." He then got an idea. "How's Akiza doing?" Yusei asked. His face noticeable lit up like a Christmas tree. Leo and Luna were surprised by how happy he suddenly looked, but knew that the older brother/fatherly figure had a crush on the red haired girl.

"She's doing good actually," Leo replied, "I think she did really well on a Chemistry test." Yusei smiled. "That's great! All that studying together paid off! I knew she could do it." Leo and Luna again noticed his suddenly upbeat attitude when it came to talking about Akiza. Suddenly, Jack and Crow came in from outside. "Hey Yusei," they sad as they came inside, "Hey Leo and Luna."

"Hey," the three of them replied back as the more muscular men came down the steps. "Yusei," Crow said as they walked up to them, "Are you going to let us see it?" Leo and Luna's eyes got wide. "See what?" Leo asked excitedly, "Is it some new toy or something?" Jack quickly put a hand of each of their backs. "It's nothing for little children to see. Now, why don't you go home and work on some homework?" Luna frowned. "But we already are done with our homework." Crow came over and helped Jack push them to the door.

"Yeah, but Leo might need some help on extra credit or there might be a really hard test coming up. You know! Study! Study! Study!" Jack opened the door. "Thanks you guys for coming over!" Leo and Luna watched as Jack and Crow smiled and waved at them. "We've got some really important business to do!" Crow replied, "Bye!" The door suddenly shut and the twins looked stunned.

"Lets got check in on Akiza," Leo said as his sister and himself walked down the wet road. It was another example of not just Yusei, but Jack and Crow pushing them away. Yusei had sincerely apologized, but the twins and Akiza had never gotten an apology from Jack or Crow. Once they walked down the street, Jack and Crow went back to the laptop with Yusei.

"Yusei. Did it download?" Yusei frowned and looked up. "No. I had to close it when the twins came by to visit." Jack and Crow groaned loudly. "Dang it," Crow replied, "How much did you download?" Yusei shrugged. "About 90%" They groaned even louder. Crow stuck out his hands and stared at them. "Dang those two!" he shouted, "Why couldn't you have kept it up and explained it to them?" Yusei's eyebrows went down in anger. "You really want me explaining to them why I'm downloading an adult movie that I don't even want to watch?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on Yusei. Stop trying to be a Saint here. You've seen them before." Yusei sighed. "Yeah, but I don't spend all my free time trying to find it." He got up and turned the chair around. "Here. If you guys want to download that stuff that's fine, but don't have me involved." Crow quickly took a seat as Jack and him tried to get back to the site Yusei had been at before.

_End Flashback_

Luna and Leo never found out about what Jack and Crow were downloading. However, Akiza and Luna were laughing so hard at the fact that Yusei was so nervous around them and what he was looking at, that they forgot all about the sad ending. Once they were done laughing, they looked at the screen and each other's faces. "Well...it's good that our boyfriends have something in common," Akiza said, "But anyways, don't be worried about talking sweet to one another over a video chat. Besides, it can be fun too!" Luna agreed and thanked Akiza for the advice.

When Luna called Dexter the following day, she tried to emphasize her phrases from the get go. "I love you," Luna said as she added a wink. Dexter blushed, as sweet comments like that made him embarrassed. He nervous and shyly gave a "I love you" back and it gave Luna something to smile about. "So how's school going?" she wondered, "Anything fun going on?"

"Well...there's homecoming this week, so that's usually pretty fun. But...it'd be more fun if Leo and you were here." Luna smiled. "That's really sweet Dexter, but I'll be there in spirit. Don't worry! Besides, I'll be sure to call you on Friday." She then closed with one more wink, just like Akiza had done to Yusei so many times. Dexter's reaction was very similar as the call ended.

Even as the two of them talked back and forth over the next few months, Dexter knew that he was still too shy and nervous around her. This was especially true when they were close, physically, to one another. However, it all came down to the fact that he was never really good at talking to people, along with going out in public. When Yusei decided to invite Dexter over for Thanksgiving, with Martha and Akiza's parents, Dexter was against it. When Yusei asked a few days later if he was doing anything else, Dexter didn't know what to say. "Um...well...not really," he admitted. Yusei put his hands on his hips. "Come on Dexter. It'll be fun. Don't be so shy. Wouldn't it be better than sitting at home alone?" Unknown to Dexter, Luna was the one who suggested the idea of inviting Dexter to dinner and was about to call him to ask him why he wouldn't go. However, Yusei called her just in the nick of time, to tell her Dexter was on board.

Yusei and Martha went to Dexter's house, after they watched the parade. When they came over, they had big grins on their faces. "Hello Dexter," Martha said as she gave him a big hug. Even though Dexter had never really talked to her, Martha instantly treated him like he was one of her own. Dexter felt squished in her jacket and she leaned back with an extra big grin.

"I'm so happy you decided to join us," Martha replied, "Yusei's told me that you have quite the crush on Luna." Dexter looked at Yusei, who gave him a wink. "Don't worry though," Martha replied, "I'm so happy that you are starting to open up and show your feelings. It reminds me a lot of when Yusei and Akiza finally told each other how they felt." She leaned in close. "Although it took him quite a while longer to finally admit it." Yusei blushed as Martha and Dexter giggled.

"Anyways, lets head over there, as I brought some food for us to eat. Do you like sweet potatoes?" Dexter nodded and they happily headed for Yusei's small car outside. It was really cold outside, below freezing in fact, and they all hurried into the car, hoping to stay warm.

When they got to the Izinski's, they all helped Martha bring food into the house, as she had brought sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, and pumpkin pie. The Izinski's insisted that she didn't have to bring anything, but old Martha couldn't say no. Everyone was all smiles as they went inside the large house.

"Come in! Come in!" Ms. Izinski insisted, "Get in from the cold!" They all hurried in with the food and they could smell the turkey cooking in the oven. "It smells wonderful," Dexter noted and Ms. Izinski put a hand on his shoulder. "Well we're very happy to have you here," she replied, "I'm so glad you came." Dexter smiled and they all took a seat in the living room, as Martha and Ms. Izinski checked every now and again on the food. Dexter was very quiet, as the conversation was very much on Akiza. "She's doing great," Yusei said, "She's found that the hard class she took in the Summer has really helped her with this year's set of classes." Everyone smiled. Dexter didn't say much until Yusei invited him into the conversation. "So Dexter, is everything going good with Luna?"

Dexter's answer was short and sweet. "Uh, yeah. Everything's fine." Yusei frowned as the older adults started talking about something else. He wanted to find out more about how the twins were doing. There was probably some information that Dexter knew about which the twins hadn't talked to him about. As Yusei was going to try and keep the conversation going, a timer dinged on the small end table.

"Dinner's ready!" Ms. Izinski announced and they all got up. When they got to the kitchen, all three parents helped set the table, as Dexter and Yusei took their seats. Once they all said grace, they dug right into their food. They went back to their old conversations, but Yusei noticed that Dexter didn't bring Luna up for the duration of the meal. When they were all done eating and just sitting around the table talking, Dexter couldn't only sit and watch.

Yusei, the guy who seemed so quiet when he first met him, was now talking and laughing with everyone else. He seemed comfortable talking with the Izinski's, even without Akiza in the room. Not to mention the fact that Yusei seemed at ease talking about her and telling everyone how she was doing. Dexter didn't think he could make as great of a transition as Yusei, going from completely clueless on how to be social to a normal person. He had always been scared to talk, whether it was at school, out in public, or even with his friends. When he'd talk to Luna on the phone, it was much easier. He knew that she wasn't two inches from him and she couldn't reach through the screen and strangle him, if he said something wrong.

The more everyone else talked, the more Dexter felt like the fifth wheel on this car. He was spare that was kept in the trunk and wasn't needed unless it was an emergency. He got up and went to the living room, which had a nice rocking chair to rock in. He figured that no one seemed to notice or care and he would just sit in it, until Yusei and Martha wanted to leave. Back at the table, even as Yusei laughed, he noticed Dexter wasn't there. He got up and went to the living room. He spotted Dexter in the chair, staring into space.

"Gonna watch the football game?" Yusei asked as Dexter looked across the room at him. Yusei smiled as he went around another chair. "Mmmm. No. The two teams that are playing don't really matter to me. I don't care who wins." Yusei sat down on the sofa and picked the cushion that was closest to Dexter, on the far end. He then rested his elbow on the arm. "So why are you so distant tonight?" Yusei asked. Dexter sighed.

"This...is how I've been for so long," Dexter replied, "And I know when the twins and I met you, you reminded me a lot of myself. Quiet, shy..." Yusei rolled his eyes. 'Why does everyone think I'm shy?' he wondered and then got back to what Dexter was saying. "And now, you're this guy who seems so comfortable in speaking situations. I mean, you're talking to Akiza's parents without breaking a sweat." Yusei smiled.

"You really think I wasn't nervous talking to Akiza's parents?" Dexter nodded. "Wow! I should get some kind of acting award," Yusei replied. He turned his back to Dexter. "Feel my blazer," he replied, "Around the neck line." Dexter did and it was extremely moist. "Wow," he replied in awe. "And that's not all," Yusei replied. He lifted up his arms and Dexter saw a black stain under each of them. "So...what are you saying?" Dexter asked as Yusei put his arms down.

"The truth is that I still get really nervous around the Izinski's and Akiza too, even though I love her very much." Dexter was confused. "But...why? I mean, you know them so well." Yusei shrugged. "I'm human," Yusei replied, "And I don't want to say or do anything to upset them. Just because I don't look nervous, doesn't mean that I am comfortable. When I used to duel, I would get nervous all the time, but I somehow managed to keep it all inside. Well...maybe not all of it. I would usually be pretty sweaty afterwards, but no one really noticed." Dexter nodded. Now he felt as though Yusei was a lot more human than people thought he was.

He had emotions and feelings that he didn't show. Sure, he was very kind affectionate to Akiza. But it was interesting to see that he had been that way for all of his life, even if he didn't admit it. "So...could you give me any advice on how to talk to Luna better?" he asked, "I mean, I'm always nervous when we're really close to one another. I've noticed that you and Akiza enjoy being close to one another, so I was hoping you could give me some advice." Yusei thought for a moment. "Tell you what. When Akiza gets back, we're going to celebrate Christmas together, so why don't you join us? After all, it'd be easier to show you rather than tell you. Not to mention Akiza's a lot better when it comes to this subject than I am and it'd be good to get a female perspective." Dexter nodded. "So, what can we do until then?"

Suddenly, Mr. Izinski came into the room and quickly grabbed the TV remote. "I need to see the score of the game! Another senator and I have a bet on it!" He turned to the station with the game. "Aw crap they're losing!" He then waved his arms up and down. "Of course you're losing! It's because you suck!" Yusei and Dexter tried to hide their laughs by covering their mouths. Even as they watched Mr. Izinski yell some more at the TV, Dexter caught another thing Yusei had kept hidden. His laugh.

When Akiza got back, Yusei was super affectionate as always. Akiza had a much easier time with her classes and, while she didn't get all A's, she was down to one semester of classes to go. Akiza leaned into Yusei's arms, as they hugged at the airport. "I love you," Yusei mumbled as they tightly hugged one another. They leaned back and he sneaked in a quick kiss. Akiza's face was bright and happy. "I love you too." They both stared at one another for a few moments, lost in each other's eyes.

"Come on! Lets get going," Akiza's father said, "I have a meeting to go to." They both nodded and headed off towards Akiza's house. As Yusei sat in the car, Yusei put his arm around the love of his life. "Hey Akiza. Could I ask you a favor?" Akiza turned to him. "What is it?" she asked. Yusei smiled. "Well...I kind of promised Dexter that we would help him become more comfortable about talking and being around girls." Akiza looked at him funny. "Couldn't you do that yourself?" Yusei shrugged. "You know I'm clueless when it comes to this stuff." He then gave her a hug.

"So that's why I thought you could help me." Akiza still looked at him in a confused manner. "So I have to do all the work?" Yusei leaned back. "No. Not all the work. I thought that he'd do better with a female perspective. Besides..." He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "I know you're smart and you're the best person to talk to." Akiza smiled. "Well...okay. I guess I could help." Yusei smiled. "Great," he replied and they watched the driver take them down the freeway.

On Christmas Eve, everyone came over to talk and enjoy a good meal. Dexter, much like with before, felt a little out of place. However, since Akiza stayed in very good contact with Luna, she had been informed about many things that Dexter didn't know about. Dexter was taken by surprise, as the three of them decided to sit a distance away from the older adults, once they waited for dinner to be served. Akiza decided to first come out and say what her plan was for the evening.

"All right Dexter. I know you're still a little nervous about being around Luna, especially since you two shared a first kiss." Dexter nodded. "Now I thought we could show you just how to be closer to one another, but without being so jittery." Dexter looked at Yusei and then back at her. "Okay. So where do we start?" Akiza looked around for a moment, before noticing something.

"Here! Look at this," she replied, "Yusei has him arm around me. Luna said that you've never really done that to her." Dexter hanged his head. "No. I didn't," he replied. Akiza smiled. "Now, I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but look at all the benefits a woman gets with this." Akiza leaned back and looked at Yusei. "She gets the comfort of knowing that her man is there with her, she can lean back on his shoulder and then stare into his beautiful eyes." Yusei blushed and looked away as Akiza continued. "Not to mention the fact that you're close to one another, but also very comfortable." Dexter nodded.

"Okay. But...the only thing is that Luna's so much taller than me. What do I do?" Akiza laughed. "She's taller than all of us," Akiza reminded him, "So is Leo." Dexter sighed. "Well...it's kind of hard to do something, without practicing it first. Is there anyway we can do that?" Akiza thought for a moment. "I've got it! What if you practice on Yusei?" Yusei looked at her.

"What!? No way!" he replied. Akiza leaned in close. "Come on. If he's going to practice, then he needs to practice on a large person." Yusei pointed his finger. "Why not use your Dad?" he asked. Akiza rolled her eyes. "Because he's busy. Now come on Dexter. Sit where I'm sitting." Akiza got up and Dexter did as he was told. When he sat down, both men were worried about what was going on.

"Now. put your arm around Yusei, just like he was Luna." Their eyes got big. "Come on!" Akiza replied, "Do you wanna be able to be close to Luna or not? Lets just start with holding hands." Yusei and Dexter held hands, although a bit awkwardly. "All right," Akiza replied, "Now put your arm around him, just like you would with Luna." Dexter looked over at Yusei and he nervously nodded. Dexter did as followed and they leaned in close to one another. They could hear each other breathing rapidly.

"Okay. That's good. Now, have a conversation just like that." Yusei and Dexter looked at one another. "So Yusei...how about this Christmas party?" Yusei looked around and talked slowly as well. "Yes Dexter...it's very...um..." He looked at Akiza and knew he should say something nice. "Beautiful." Akiza nodded and the two gentlemen kept going.

"So Dexter. It sure is nice to have a great girlfriend." Akiza put her hands in the air. "Cut! Cut! Luna wouldn't say that she has a girlfriend!" Yusei and Dexter looked at her. "Luna could say that," Dexter replied. Akiza just shook her head. "She would say _boyfriend." _Yusei sighed. "All right. What a wonderful boyfriend I have." Dexter smiled. "And what a wonderful girlfriend I have." Dexter then stopped and looked at Akiza.

"Okay this is where I would kiss her," Dexter replied, "You're not going to make me kiss him are you?" Akiza shook her head. "Here. How about I kiss him." Akiza leaned in close and the two of them kissed. "This actually brings up a good question," Dexter noted, "How often do you two kiss?" Akiza and Yusei looked worried. "Um...well..." Akiza started.

"We kind of do it a lot," Yusei replied, "And we're pretty affectionate in general." Dexter smiled. "So when can I see this in action?" he asked, "I want a good idea of what it looks like." Suddenly, Martha called them all to dinner. "Time to eat," she said aloud. Everyone smiled. "We'll show you after we eat," Akiza replied and they all got in line to start eating. They munched on finger food and sandwiches as they ate and talked to one another. When it was all over, they all sat around and talked in their chairs and on a sofa. As the three of them sat on the sofa, Dexter kept an eye on Yusei and Akiza. Yusei had his arm around Akiza, just like when they had practiced. They also seemed to sometimes drift into their own private conversation.

That was exactly what Dexter wanted, now that they were going to be a full on couple. Conversations where they could be both close and affectionate. As Dexter paid more attention to them, he could sense a bond that only a couple could share. He knew that he wanted to be just like them with lots of kisses, hugs, and sweet talk. Suddenly, Akiza said something to Yusei and she stood up.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Akiza announced. "I'm going with her," Yusei added. Dexter had to do a double take. Did Yusei just say he was going to the bathroom with Akiza? How would that work? Dexter didn't get what they were doing and watched them go up the steps. He then slowly followed them from a long distance. When he got to the top step, he peeked around the corner and saw Yusei standing at the door. 'Maybe he's going after Akiza,' Dexter thought. He heard a toilet flush and then the water ran. Soon, the door swung open, with Akiza in it.

Yusei quickly put his arms around her in a hug. "I missed you," Yusei said as he took a step to his left, leaning Akiza away from the door. "I love you so much." Akiza laughed. "I love you too Yusei." They shared yet another kiss. Dexter smiled. They were deeply in love and it was clear that they were comfortable being close to each other. 'Maybe love is the answer. Since Luna and I are in love, maybe love will carry us through. If there's anyone to understand me, it should be the person I love. Luna knows me and cares about me. I'm sure that she realizes I'm not very social and it doesn't have to be something to force myself to do. We can start slow and work our way up.'

He watched as Yusei and Akiza softly and gently kissed, hugged, and smiled at one another. It seemed so natural and they didn't have a problem being so close. They seemed so happy and relaxed. Suddenly, Akiza turned towards the stairs and so did Yusei. Dexter gasped and quickly ran back downstairs. The couple listened to his footsteps, as he ran in embarrassment.

"Was Dexter spying on us?" Akiza asked. Yusei smiled softly. "Yeah, but it's good for him to see us. After all, if he's going to be the best for Luna, isn't it right that he studies from the best." Akiza gave him a sarcastic smile. "You really think we're the best couple to learn from?" Yusei nodded. "Of course. After all, you have the most beautiful smile in the world don't you?" Akiza blushed and they shared another warm kiss.

**A/N: Next Chapter: Yusei and Akiza discuss kids.**

**I apologize again for the wait. I had some important things come up. I hope you're not upset.  
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	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45!  
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**A/N: This Chapter and the next might upset some people and I apologize if you're upset. This was first time Yusei and Akiza address a problem as a married couple and, like I said, I hope you're not upset. Also, Yusei gets a physical, so he's nude for a few moments. I hope you're not upset for that either.  
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**This Part 1 or 2 and I'm sorry if you're upset.  
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On New Year's Eve, Dexter was invited to a party at the Izinski's. Mr. Izinski left to be with his Senator buddies and so the room was left with Martha, Ms. Izinski, Yusei and Akiza, and Dexter. Despite 4 out of the 5 being over the drinking age, not a drop of alcohol was touched their lips that night. Instead, pop and sparkling juice were their beverage of choice. They were all smiles and everyone was excited, waiting for a new year to begin.

Everyone else watched as Yusei and Akiza were affectionate all night long as usual. Hugs and kisses were frequent and two looked like happy lovers in love. Still, Dexter had a pondering question, as he watched the two of them cuddle close on the couch.

"Hey you guys." They both turned to him. "Are you two still going to be affectionate when you guys become one?" They both stared at him. "What you talking about?" Yusei asked, clueless as ever. Dexter chuckled. "When you guys get married." Akiza and Yusei instantly turned red and they looked up at the ceiling. "Well...we..." Yusei started and they looked at one another. "Haven't really talked about it very much. Besides, we're not going to do it right this minute." Akiza looked at Yusei curiously, before nodding. He was right. As much as Akiza wanted to deny it, what Dexter said had crossed her mind. But like her current boyfriend said, it was still a ways away.

When the two of them said goodbye, there was a bright upbeat tone in Akiza's voice. "One more semester and then all I have to worry about is being an intern for a couple of years." Yusei smiled. "Don't worry Akiza. I know you can do it and remember: don't forget to smile." Akiza showed Yusei her smile as he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks Yusei. I will." They then shared another kiss, but this time, it was on the lips.

Over the next few months, Akiza spent most of her time, like always, between school and talking to her friends back home. As much as Akiza tried to deny it, what Dexter asked was a very good and reasonable one. What would life be like if Yusei and her were to get...well...married? Akiza and Yusei had never talked about it, but Akiza was almost certain that Yusei contained that strong of feelings for her. After what he did the night before she left all those years ago, to opening up his much more affectionate and loving side, to trying to communicate to her at any time in the day, and trying to spend as much time with her as possible, it was clear that Yusei had no intentions of being with anyone else. It felt as though the situation was the same as when they were just trying to admit they liked the other. They were both shy about bringing to the topic up. At the same time, now wasn't really the time to plan a wedding, especially with Akiza having so little time across the other side of the pond. So, Akiza decided to just put it on the back burner.

As Akiza was finalizing the studying portion her degree, they had to go over, in one of her last classes, how to do a physical. It was one of the things that Akiza knew she would be doing a lot of and she wanted to make sure she mastered the technique. As she worked through the class, she pondered on when the last time Yusei had one. He had gotten older, as does everyone, but she knew that, like most men, he didn't like seeing a doctor if something was wrong. Akiza told him many times that, just because she was going into the field, didn't mean that she was going to hinder or drastically change his lifestyle. Yusei tried his best to stay healthy and Akiza didn't say a word when Yusei would go after another piece of cake or order a burger and fries at a restaurant. It was his life and Akiza wanted to make him happy, instead of being a bug that annoyed him every time he did something wrong. Yusei maintained a healthy weight and looked to be in decent shape, but Akiza just wanted to be sure.

When Akiza got done with her semester, she felt extremely excited. All of her studying and encouragement from her friends and family, especially Yusei, was worth it. The flight home was probably the smoothest yet. When Akiza arrived, she found her family, but they all looked upset, even as Akiza ran up to them. "You guys. What's wrong?" Martha looked up. "There's something wrong with Yusei. He hurt his arm on the way here." Akiza gasped and she saw Yusei come up to her, holding his arm.

"Oh my gosh Yusei!" Akiza cried as she went up to him. She pulled up his blue blazer, showing his arm. She examined it, looking for blood. "Does this cause you any pain?" Akiza asked as she moved his upper arm up and down. "No," Yusei replied and Akiza was confused. She looked at him, showing her confused expression. "Then what happened?" Yusei smiled. "Nothing happened," he replied and Akiza gave him a relieved smile. "Oh. Thank goodness!" Akiza replied as she gave him a big hug. They laughed as their parents joined in with them.

They left the hospital all in smiles, after Akiza got to say hello to her family members. Yusei led her out to the limo and then got inside first, which was unusual, because he always let her go first. When Akiza stepped inside and took a seat, Yusei leaned to his left and then turned to his girlfriend, with a giant bouquet of roses in hand. Akiza gasped and smiled at him. "Oh Yusei," she replied and Yusei leaned over to give her a kiss. Akiza leaned forward as well, as they both had their seat belts on. Akiza then leaned back, as Yusei took her bag, and set it besides him.

"So how does it feel to have the study portion of school out of the way?" Yusei wondered. Akiza thought about her answer. "Well, good obviously. But it's now more about applying what I've learned and less about the book terms." Yusei nodded and then looked ahead. He put his arm around Akiza and she thought of a way for her to do just that. When they got to the Izinski's, Yusei offered to take her bag, but Akiza insisted on grabbing it. Yusei wondered why, but he didn't bother her about it. When they got inside, Akiza put her roses in a vase, and set her bag by the stairs, When she was done, Yusei stood a couple feet away, with his back towards the wall.

Akiza looked at Yusei, who smiled at her, and she smiled back. She walked over and they put their arms around one another, knowing what was next. Lips crashed and Yusei's back leaned against the wall. Akiza's hips, covered by her Victorian style outfit, rubbed against Yusei's black pant covered hips. When they were done moaning and groaning, they leaned back and caught their breath.

"Yusei. That was amazing," Akiza replied, "Was everything okay?" Yusei nodded. "Yep. Same for you?" Akiza nodded and she leaned into Yusei's chest, as he put his long, lean arms around her. They closed their eyes and smiled, getting to enjoy each other's presence. Times like this were fun, because there was no one home and they got to be with just each other. They wished these chances came more often, but they couldn't boss their parents and friends to never bother them again.

Sure enough, their parents came in a little while later to spoil their fun. Akiza and Yusei sat on the couch as everyone pressed Akiza on how she felt of being so close to becoming a licensed doctor. Akiza smiled and explained how she would be acting as an intern at a local hospital in Germany. They made sure to find her a female doctor as well as one who spoke very good English. Akiza had met her only once, but she said that she seemed very nice and would offer her some great advice.

Yusei asked her if it would affect the amount of time that they would be able to communicate, but Akiza shook her head. The work schedule wasn't going to be too late into the night, so at the very least, Akiza could call him around lunchtime or so. However, Akiza added that a early morning shift could force him to get up in the middle of the night. Yusei loved his beauty sleep, but if it meant seeing and hearing from Akiza again, then it was worth it. Plus, if she had to work a night shift instead, it became easoer for him to call her, since he would be at home by that point.

Still, as Akiza talked with her family, the idea she got on the car ride home was starting to build. She decided that she could try it a few days later, when Yusei would have the weekend off.

Sure enough, Yusei came over a couple days later. Akiza had told him that she needed help on something and unlike years back, Yusei put everything down, to make time for her. After all, he wanted to make her happy and help her whenever she needed it. When Yusei arrived at the Izinski's, Akiza's parents were gone and they were at the house by themselves.

"Hey Akiza!" Yusei said as he wrapped her in a tight hug. He then gave her a big kiss on the cheek, as his girlfriend smiled happily. "Hey Yusei," she said as she gave him a kiss back, "Or should I say my little Yusei." Yusei laughed at hearing Akiza call him that name again and they went inside, arm in arm. Yusei closed the door with his hand and then squeezed Akiza close to him. "So what did you need my help with?" Yusei asked as the two of them sighed happily. Akiza smiled.

"Here. Let me show you," she replied and took his hand. Yusei watched as she led him upstairs. Yusei followed her and she went to the right. They went to the bathroom and Akiza stopped. "Now. Stay here and get undressed while I get ready." Yusei gasped and inappropriate thoughts rang through his head. "What?" Yusei asked in fear. Akiza rolled her eyes. "No Yusei. Not that. I just wanted to practice being a doctor, so I want to pretend that you're my patience." Yusei thought about it for a moment, but was still unsure. "I'll let you see the coat my school gave me for graduating," Akiza added and then whispered to him, "But it doesn't fit me right and the one I had custom ordered hasn't came in yet." Akiza then winked at Yusei and he blushed. "Um...well...I guess it would be all right." Akiza smiled.

"Great," she replied and opened the door. "Oh yeah. Get down to your boxers." Yusei blushed at the fact that he was both undressing and Akiza knew what he wore underneath his pants. Akiza closed the door and let Yusei do as she had told him to. Even now, Yusei still felt uncomfortable undressing for Akiza. He took off his pants and shirt, socks, and everything until he was down to nothing except his boxers. Yusei sat up on the counter and tried to think positively about the situation.

'Okay. Akiza will probably just act like your a normal doctor. She'll look down your throat and that'll be it.' He then heard a knock on the door. "Yusei. Are you ready?" Yusei nodded, but forgot Akiza couldn't see him. "Yep I'm all set." He then watched as Akiza opened the door.

As Akiza stepped in, Yusei instantly noticed her gown, which was clearly not custom fitted. Akiza had to unbutton a number of buttons, just to let her chest breath. Her red framed glasses shown in the light and Akiza walked in, as Yusei was expecting a little bit more fanservice for himself. However, Akiza seemed very serious and talked just like a regular doctor. "So Mr. Fudo, I see you're here for a physical. Is that correct?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied as Akiza looked at her sheets. She then pulled one out. "All right. Lets get started," she replied. She then took out a tape measure and measured Yusei's height. "Five foot eight," she replied, "Oh wait! I need to put this in centimeters too." Akiza then thought for a moment as she did the math on it. "All right," she replied and wrote something down. Akiza then pulled the bathroom scale towards Yusei. "Now step on the scale," she replied.

Yusei looked at her and then at the scale nervously. He had never told Akiza how much he weighed, as his thin body did most of the talking for him. However, he was worried about putting an exact number on it. He took a deep breath and figured that whatever number came up is what he weighed. He stood on the scale and watched it figure it out. He took a deep breath as he looked at the final total.

"Okay, that's normal," Akiza replied, "Now for your heartbeat." Yusei had to sit down on the counter top and uncross his legs. Akiza could tell Yusei was nervous, as his heart-rate was much faster than normal. She figured now would be a good time to practice this for real life. "Okay. You're very nervous," Akiza started as she let go of Yusei's wrist, "How about we take some nice deep breaths to calm us down?" Yusei nodded and followed along. Together, they each took some breaths together and Akiza smiled once they were all done. "Feel better?" Akiza asked and Yusei nodded.

Akiza then took his hear beat, his blood pressure, and a checked in on his breathing. "You're blood pressure's a little high," Akiza replied, "But you told me you've been stressed a few days ago." Yusei nodded. "We'll keep an eye on it," she added and wrote it down. Akiza then checked his throat and ears. She checked his legs and joints. "We're almost done," she replied and Yusei smiled. Akiza then asked him to stand up and she knelled down. From this angle, Yusei could see down her Victorian covered top and see her ginormous breasts.

'They're so huge,' Yusei thought and he gently tugged on his boxers. As he tugged and rubbed, he found his lower region become fully aroused. "Okay," Akiza said, "I need you to take your boxers off." Yusei gasped and broke out of his daydream. "What?" he asked. Akiza looked up at him. "I need to check your groin and make sure everything is working okay." Yusei froze and his mind flashed back to his 21st Birthday. He could hear Jack and Crow mocking how small he was down there, even when he was fully aroused. Thanks to Akiza's attire and him rubbing his boxers against himself, he was fully aroused right now, yet he was still very small down there.

"Um...but Akiza," he said trying to both deter her plan or at least calm himself down. Akiza looked up at him and frowned. "Yusei! This is standard procedure and I want to make sure you're all right." Yusei felt sweat on his neck. "Yeah, but everything's fine," he replied, "You don't need to check." Akiza's frown stayed strong. "I don't want you to be sick," she replied, "Now pull down your boxers!"

Yusei sighed as, not only had he lost the argument, but removing his boxers would keep his lower area aroused for her eyes to see. He pulled down his boxers and didn't have to to move them outward, even with his aroused friend. Akiza leaned in close to his groin and Yusei knew there was a zero percent chance that she couldn't see just how tiny he was down there. Akiza then put a hand on his testicle and asked him to cough. Yusei jumped slightly at her touch and did as she had asked. Akiza then felt his other one and check it as well. As she did, Yusei lost his excitement downstairs, and Akiza, without a doubt, saw everything.

Once Akiza was done, she smiled. "Okay. You can put your clothes back on." Yusei pulled his boxers up and then turned around as he got dressed again. Akiza looked over her papers and couldn't see just how upset Yusei was. His bangs covered up his eyes. "Well...almost everything seems to be in good shape," Akiza announced as she looked over and smiled a Yusei.

"You're disappointed?" Yusei asked and Akiza gave him a questioning look. "No," she replied, "I'm very happy for you." Yusei sighed. "It's okay Akiza. You don't have to lie." Akiza was even more confused. "What are you talking about?" Yusei was upset. If this was anyone else, he probably would raise his voice. But since it's Akiza, Yusei had a much kinder tone. "Just admit it Akiza. You're disappointed." Akiza almost started yelling. "Disappointed about what?" Yusei turned around.

"With how I am I down there!" he shouted. Akiza and Yusei stayed silent for a moment. "Oh," Akiza replied softly, "I read that guys are very conscious about that." Yusei sighed and walked up to her. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Akiza," he replied and gave her a hug. Once he leaned back, Akiza looked up at him. "So why are you so concerned with how small you are down there Yusei?" Akiza asked, "I mean, I've told you a thousand times that I love you just the way you are." Yusei shrugged.

"It's just..." Yusei let go and couldn't look Akiza in the eyes as he spoke. "What if...someday...you and I get together and then we end up...you know" Yusei didn't finish his sentence, but they both knew what he was talking about. Akiza looked away as well and they both blushed. It was the first time they were talking about the possibility of getting together, let alone going that far. Akiza couldn't stand the silence, so she went up and put a hand on Yusei's left shoulder.

"Don't worry Yusei. If that did happen, I'm sure it would be great. No matter how small you are." Yusei still looked away. "That's not what people online said," he replied. Akiza raised her eyebrows and Yusei continued. "I looked it up and they said, as much as girls emphasize that it doesn't matter what size you are, it still does matter. Many of them have been with multiple guys and they all said that a man's size affected how much they enjoyed doing...it." Akiza shook her head.

"Yusei. I'm not those women. I've never done it either, but there's something that would make me happy no matter what." Yusei finally looked at her. "What's that?" Akiza smiled. "The fact that my first time and only times would be with you. Look, Yusei..." Akiza blushed a crimson red. "I'm so happy that you were worried about making me feel good. Most guys would only worry about themselves in the bedroom, but you were worried about me and worried about your size affecting it. However, just the fact that I would be with you makes me happy, more than anything else, no matter how tiny you are." Yusei managed a small smile.

"But...are you sure Akiza?" Akiza nodded and Yusei breathed a sigh of relief. He then thought of another point. "I mean, if we're doing it, then what about having..." He stopped his sentence. Yet again, they both knew where this was leading and it was opening a new can of worms. What about having kids? Neither one had spoken to one another about if how many they wanted, if any at all. Still, this was a very valuable question to think about.

"Well...um...in that case..." Akiza was afraid to speak. Yusei quickly wrapped her in a hug. "Look. I'd better keep my mouth shut," Yusei replied. Akiza shook her head. "No! No! If you didn't stop talking, I wouldn't have been able to assure you that I don't mind your size." Yusei got a smirk on his face. "You did realize that what you saw was the biggest I can get right?" Akiza nodded. "Yes. So, don't worry about it. About the other subject..." Yusei put a finger to her lips.

"Lets wait and think about it. All right?" Akiza looked at him as he removed his finger. "Yes. Lets think about it." Yusei leaned forward and they kissed on the lips. "I love you," Akiza said. "I love you too," Yusei replied. Yusei then moved around Akiza. "Thanks for the physical," he replied, "And don't forget, I love you!" Akiza repeated his last sentence and watched as he headed home. Once the door was shut, Akiza gave a worried look.

'What if he doesn't feel the same way?' she wondered.

As Yusei walked home, he didn't need much time to think about it. He knew what his answer was, but he worried that Akiza would disagree with him. That would hurt him the most, but at the same time, it was a very big topic. After all, if they were going to be together until the end of time, they would have to bring up the possibility of children sooner or later. He sighed as he made it back home, with his hands in pockets.

As he walked to his apartment, he looked across the hall, where the twins were living during the Summertime. He thought about how much they had grown up and looked up to them. At the same time, it was easy to take care of them, because they were almost teenagers when they first met and when the Signer business was over with. Suddenly, Yusei got an idea and he really hoped that Akiza would understand.

As Akiza went to sleep, she thought about what it would be like to have kids. Sure enough, as she fell asleep, her dream was exactly what she was thinking about.

_Akiza's Dream_

Akiza was sitting on the toilet, waiting for her test results. She looked at it and a plus sign appeared. Yusei was next to her and he looked as though he was going to go crazy. "I'm father! All right! We're going to have so much fun! Yahoo!" Akiza watched as he ran out of the room, flaring his arms in the air. As Akiza looked back at the test, she sighed, as this was not the result she had wanted at all.

Suddenly, Akiza was in labor. She grabbed onto the side of the bed, as she tried to push. Yusei was at her side, as the pain she was feeling was unbearable. "Come Akiza. Just a few more pushes and the baby is our's. Come on Akiza!" Akiza closed her eyes and suddenly, the pain wasn't there anymore. Akiza breathed a huge sigh of relief and relaxed as the baby was cleaned up. Soon, the baby came into her arms. "What should we name it?" Akiza asked.

"Yusei Jr," Yusei replied and Akiza looked at him. It sounded rather corny. "Well...maybe we should think about it," Akiza replied, trying not to sound upset. "I already signed the papers, saying it was going to be Yusei Jr," Yusei answered back. Akiza looked at the baby and sighed. She had wished that they had talked about naming the baby before Yusei went ahead and signed the name. "All right," she replied, "Yusei Jr. it is." As Akiza looked on, she suddenly saw a quick flash of light.

As Akiza opened her eyes, she suddenly saw a young Yusei Jr. She looked at him and gave him a hug. He had a backpack on, so she assumed he was going to school. "Hey son. How was school?" Yusei Jr. looked up at her. "It was great! Now I'm going to spend some time with daddy." Akiza gave him a skeptical smile. "But shouldn't you be spending time with both mommy and daddy?" she questioned. Yusei Jr. shook his head. "Nope. Just daddy." Yusei walked up and took his hand. "Yusei Jr. and I are heading out. You should have some fun here by yourself, right mommy?" Akiza looked down. "Yeah, sure," she replied. Yusei gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll have some fun when I get back," he replied and gave her a wink. Akiza blushed and watched her husband and son walk off. Later, Akiza was in bed, and it was pitch black outside. Yusei had changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. Akiza turned on her side and smiled at him. "Hey Yusei," she said in a smooth talking voice, "Ready for some fun?" Yusei turned away from her.

"Not now, Yusei Jr. wore me out. Maybe tomorrow?" Akiza sighed. "Yusei. I've barely got to spend time with you since Yusei Jr. was born! Aren't you going to spend some quality time with just me and you? You spend so much time with him and all I can do is cook and clean like an old housewife." Yusei sighed. "Just deal with it Akiza. This is what it's like when you have a kid." Akiza huffed and looked at the ceiling. Is this what having a kid was like? No time with her husband at all? Let alone the fact that he got her pregnant without her wanting a child in the first place. Akiza closed her eyes and started to cry. As she waited for Yusei to comfort her, just like he had always had done, he started to loudly snore. It made Akiza cry even harder, because this was not how she wanted to live the rest of her life.

_End Dream_

As Akiza woke up, her mind had already been decided before her nightmare had happened. Still, Akiza worried that what might have happened in her dream could become a reality. She had to confess to Yusei her feelings, even if he disagreed with them. She decided the best time would be as soon as possible. She decided to wait until later that morning, to go to his apartment, and talk. Hopefully, he will understand.

When Akiza called, Yusei didn't seem upset at all. "Can we talk about...what we hinted at yesterday?" Yusei thought for a moment, before getting her hint. "Oh. That thing! Sure Akiza! There's no one here, but me, so come on over. I assure you that no one will hear what we have to say." Akiza breathed a sigh of relief and hanged up after saying that she loved him. Hopefully, he would be saying that after they had their discussion.

When Akiza arrived, Yusei smiled wide, and gave her a hug. Akiza felt nervous about this, as this was a very important topic. Disagreement would surely be a possibility and the thought of arguing with Yusei made her sick to her stomach. Akiza going from the door to the couch was a blur, as her mind was in other places. Yusei sat down and took her hand. "So Akiza. How do you feel about having children?" Akiza looked at him.

"What?" she asked, "What did you say?" Yusei sighed. "Okay. Maybe it's better if I start," he replied. Akiza watched him close his eyes and face the floor. Akiza could feel his hand squeeze her's and she could swear that he was shaking a bit.

"I don't want to have kids!" Yusei finally admitted. Akiza gasped and Yusei instantly spoke up. "But let me explain why and maybe it'll help you understand." Akiza remained quiet and nodded, as Yusei started talking.

"You see...growing up, I never knew my mother or father. That was tough for me." Akiza frowned. "Yusei. I'm so sorry." She leaned over and put her arm around his shoulder. Yusei looked up and, to Akiza's surprise, he was smiling. "No. It's okay Akiza. I've moved on from that, but let me continue." Akiza nodded once more and Yusei had a smile on his face. Facing Akiza and seeing that she wasn't in tears or about ready to punch him was a big relief.

"You see, I did have a family. Martha, Jack, and Crow were my family. It wasn't my biological family, but a family none the less. I enjoyed being with them and they enjoyed being with me. But...for other kids, it wasn't good enough. They wanted to leave and go be with a mom or dad or some other kind of family. The family Martha had wasn't for them and I could understand that. I watched as these kids didn't enjoy growing up at Martha's house and these were the kids that were most often adopted." Akiza gasped.

"That's right! You were never adopted!" She hugged him. "I'm so sorry that no one liked you enough to adopt you Yusei." Yusei shook his head. "No Akiza. Not being adopted was a-okay with me. Besides, if I left, I would have to leave the family I grew up with. Anyways, so these kids left and I watched many of them, when their new families came to pick them up. Every single one looked like it was the best day of their life and it was not only on the kid being adopted, but also the parents as well. They were all happy and excited to have someone new in their life. Best of all, Martha raised them with good values. Even if they didn't like being there, Martha taught all of us schooling and how to be a good person. That's why Martha was so successful in getting lots of orphaned kids, because everyone knew that she was the best adoption center in Satellite. These kids weren't going to be thugs that beat people up or did drugs. These were good kids that just needed an opportunity. If you need another example, just look at Crow."

Akiza leaned back and thought about him as Yusei talked. "He was so inspired by Martha's good adopting practice, that he pretty much tried to make his own adopting area. That's why he took in those other orphans. The values that were taught to him by Martha, were then passed down to them, and look at how well they turned out! Many of them are going to school, have been adopted, and some are even going into the military. All these kids are good kids, just like the ones at Martha's place." Akiza looked curiously at him. "So what's your point?"

Yusei smiled. "We don't necessarily need to make a baby to be happy. We could adopt one, if we truly wanted one. It could make us happy as well as the child. Besides, look at the benefits." Yusei started to explain the benefits. "You could adopt a kid that's at least a few years old, so you wouldn't have to deal with the baby year problems and expenses. You could keep your body from all the pain and problems of pregnancy. Best of all, you could make a kid happy. Wouldn't you want to experience the joy of telling a kid that he is welcome into your family?" Akiza thought about it.

"Yusei. I would like that, because...I know what it's like to be on the other side." Yusei gasped a "Huh?" and it was now Akiza's turn to explain. "As much as I've stressed that Sayer's a cold hearted jerk, he was the one who took me in. When he gave me a place to sleep, eat, and get cleaned up, I know the joy that you witnessed Yusei. It felt like there finally was someone out there, who understood me, and didn't judge me based on my powers. That feeling was wonderful Yusei." As much as Yusei hated Sayer, what Akiza was saying did warm his heart a little bit.

"But...I also felt that with you Yusei. When you dueled me, I felt some of those same feelings. Someone who wanted to understand my pain and didn't judge me. But best of all, you wanted me to succeed, and didn't just use me as a tool. You wanted to be with me along the way. To love and support me. That same feeling of joy and happiness rushed through me once more, but this time, it was far greater and better than before." Yusei could see Akiza's eyes start to water and his did too.

"I love you Yusei. To know that you cared so much about me, both then and now, makes me so happy. You loved and cared about me, even when no one else did. So...I can understand what you're saying and I get why you don't want to have children. However, if we did end up wanting one, I think adoption is the way to go." Yusei and Akiza hugged. "Well...I'm glad you changed your mind," Yusei replied. Akiza leaned back.

"Changed my mind? What are you talking about?" Yusei looked lost. "Didn't you want kids before you came here? Wasn't that going to be why you were so nervous and quiet?" Akiza looked at Yusei in an odd manner. Yusei might have been able to read her emotions at some points, but it was clear that he hadn't gotten a good read on her this time around.

"No," Akiza replied, "I was going to say that I didn't want kids. I thought you'd be the one who would really push for them." Yusei smiled. "Oh. Well...I guess I was wrong," he admitted and gave her a kiss. "I'm sorry," he apologized. Akiza shook her head. "There's nothing to apologize about," she replied, "You don't want kids and I don't want kids. However, if we do eventually want one, we can adopt." Yusei nodded and leaned in close.

"But even if we decided not to have any, no matter what, I will still be happy, because I'm with you Akiza." Yusei gave her a kiss and Akiza blushed. "I know. I feel the exact same way," she replied. She leaned in and gave him a longer and deeper kiss. When she leaned back, Yusei's face was all red. Akiza giggled and Yusei joined in. They finally knew what the plan was, but best of all, they both agreed to it.

Still, there were a few more details left to figure out.

**A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait, as this is a very busy time for me. I'm honestly trying to get the Chapters out as fast as I can, but it's not as fast as I would like.**

**I apologize if I upset anyone with what I wrote or how long it takes me to get these Chapters out.**


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46!**

**Shinn Tsukishiro: I'm glad you found it funny. I was extremely nervous it would upset some people. Thanks for the review!**

**Here's part 2. About 7 or 8 Chapters left to go.  
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As Yusei and Akiza comforted one another, both started to wonder how their friends would react. However, their minds started to wonder and question if their friends had started planning to have any children in the future. After all, it seemed like a good question to ask. They could already sense that some of their friends had already found their soul mates, and maybe it was time to ask how they were going to live their lives together.

The first couple to question was easy: Jack and Carly. Carly had mentioned the fact that Jack had a week off to Akiza and Carly was going to come home in a couple of days. So, it sounded like the perfect time to ask. Akiza smiled as she sat with Yusei and watched TV, with his arm wrapped around her. During a commercial break, Akiza asked him if they should talk to them about having kids. Yusei thought about it for a moment. "I think it's a great thing to ask," he replied, "After all, it's something you should talk about before getting married or 'going all the way', at the very least." Akiza nodded and Yusei leaned in close.

"Thanks for talking with me about it," he whispered to her. Akiza giggled and then whispered into his ear. "Sure Yusei. Anytime." They shared a kiss as their conversation had brought them closer together and it was a step forward in their relationship. However, they both worried that their friends wouldn't do so well. The main problem was that Carly seemed like the kind of girl who would wanted kids, possibly even multiple. Jack, on the other hand, seemed like the total opposite. As they planned for a day when both Carly and Jack would come over, both of them were a little bit nervous. However, they were both smiling from ear to ear, when Jack and Carly came to the door.

"Hey you two!" Yusei said as Akiza stood beside him, "How are things going?" Jack had a rare smile on his face as he looked at his girlfriend. "Just swell," Carly replied and they walked inside. Jack stayed by the door, as Akiza welcomed Carly in. "Jack and I are going to go out and talk for a little bit," Yusei replied. Akiza nodded. "Okay. See you guys later." Yusei nodded back and he followed Jack outside. "Where are we going?" Jack asked. Yusei shrugged. "How about that coffee shop you love?" Yusei suggested. Jack smiled. "Great! Taking our runners?"

"Actually, it's a nice day," Yusei noted, "How about we walk instead?" Jack growled. 'Still have better things to do. Huh Yusei?' Jack thought in anger as he walked outside. Sure enough, a few people spotted and ran up to them. Yusei watched as a group crowded around Jack and he was left a short distance away from him. To Yusei's surprise, Jack didn't seem upset, and he looked really happy. Yusei watched as kids gave Jack pictures of himself and toys that he had. Yusei had spotted several of them when he went to the mall to shop with Akiza or for her.

As much as Yusei had the occasional thought of, "That could have been me," Yusei took notice of what his life might have been like. He tried to steer Jack away from the fans and instead towards the coffee shop, but Jack kept getting offers to have pictures taken with him or to autograph something. To be honest, Yusei didn't like all the attention, and it was one of the reasons why, even after winning the Fortune Cup and saving the world, people treated him (at least for the most part), like an everyday citizen. They had gotten used to his cold manner and, while he was a softy at heart, Yusei didn't like the spotlight. On the contrast, Jack couldn't go a second without being in it. Finally, Yusei managed to get Jack to walk into the coffee shop with him and they made it to a table. Still, Yusei saw people whispering and pointing at them, with all of them referring to Jack. Stephanie, who had gotten over her crush of Jack and had a boyfriend of her own, took their orders.

"I know what _you'll have," _Stephanie replied, with emphasis at the end. Yusei rolled his eyes as the two of them laughed. Jack and the waitress then turned their attention to him. "What will you have?" she asked. Jack smiled. "Come on Yusei. Just try the Blue Eyes coffee. You'll love it!" Yusei shook his head. "Sorry, but can I just have whatever lemon-lime soda you have?" It was now Jack's turn to roll his eyes as Yusei gave a polite smile. Their drinks were soon served and the two gentlemen began to talk.

"So Jack. How have things been on the track?" Jack smiled, as Yusei had brought up his most favorite topic. "Well...if being on top of the standings counts, then that should pretty well explain it." Yusei nodded and tried his best to listen to Jack bragging for a number of minutes about his dueling success. As Yusei sat and listened, he couldn't help, but wish Akiza was there. He felt odd going out by himself, especially with Akiza being home. He had done it lots of times before, obviously when she was away. But at the same time, it was as if he knew Akiza was only a few blocks away, and being here without her didn't feel right.

Or maybe it was the fact that Yusei had to listen to Jack brag about Turbo Dueling, with noticeable hints of trying to get Yusei back into the sport, without Akiza there to distract him. They could tease Jack or have their own conversation and it would drive Jack crazy. He would yell at them for not paying attention and, if any of their other friends would be around, it could easily turn into a game of how many times could you tick off Jack. Yusei sat and listened and hoped he would stop soon. 'I hope Akiza's having a easier time with Carly,' he thought as Jack kept going on and on and on.

Back at the Tops, Akiza sat with Carly as they drank some lemonade that Akiza had made. They started off just seeing how everyone was doing and what was going on. Akiza tried to slowly shift the conversation to Jack and Carly, yet Carly seemed interested in how her relationship with Yusei was going.

"Are you two hitting the clubs at all?" Carly asked and Akiza looked at her like she was nuts. "Carly!" she shouted, "Yusei and I are not that kind of people! You know that!" Carly laughed. "I know, but I just figured that you would want to enjoy your time with Yusei." Akiza looked to the ceiling. "I already do that," she replied, "I come over to his house or he comes over to mine a few times a week. We usually send each other a message, everyday, just to make sure everything is okay, and that we're safe. We spend plenty of time together, but we also don't see each other too often that it gets boring." Carly nodded.

"What about your physical life?" Akiza put her fingers to her forehead. This conversation was suppose to be about Carly and Jack, not the other way around! However, Akiza thought of a way to pivot it back in the other direction. "We're doing fine," she replied, trying to avoid many details, "We're still virgins, but we are just fine with that. We love to cuddle and be really affectionate with one another. That makes the two of us happy." Akiza smiled. "So what about Jack and yourself?" Carly blushed.

"Well...we don't see each other all the time either. However, the times we do see each other, things get a little..." Carly raised her eyebrows. "Heated." Akiza already knew where this was going. "Okay. I get where this is going," she replied, now trying to avoid the subject all together. "But this might help Yusei and yourself for when...you know." Akiza blushed at the comment, but then saw an opening.

"Yeah, but we can decided that for ourselves," she replied, "Speaking of which, have you guys ever thought about having kids?" Carly smiled. "Well of course! Who wouldn't want to father Jack Atlas' kids'? Those extremely broad shoulders and huge, muscular arms, tight abs..." Akiza rolled her eyes as Carly went down the Jack Atlas fanservice line. Akiza and Yusei had talked this topic to the moon and back and agreed that looks didn't make the person, especially when it came to Yusei and his average looking body. Still, she had gotten Carly's answer, which was a solid 'yes.' Now it came down to Jack's answer.

"And so that is the list of many things that makes me, Jack Atlas, number one in the world." Yusei stared at him, with his straw in his mouth. As he sucked on it, you could hear the sound of air at the end of his drink. Jack had been talking for so long, that Yusei had finished consuming his entire soda pop. "So...how are you and Carly getting along?" Yusei finally managed to ask the current King of Turbo Duels. Jack smiled proudly.

"We're doing just fantastic," he replied. Yusei stopped sucking on the straw and continued to stare at Jack. "You ever having kids?" he questioned and Jack looked as though Yusei had beaten him in a duel. "Kids?" Jack cried, "Kids?" Other people stated at them and Yusei wanted to curl up in a ball and pretend he wasn't there. Jack, meanwhile, continued to be upset. "Kids? No way! You'll never see me with one of those things running around! Don't make me laugh! Carly and I aren't having kids." He suddenly looked towards Yusei and leaned forward.

"Are Akiza and yourself considering having some?" Yusei leaned back away from him. "No. Any kid we would have will be adopted," he replied, "After all, there are plenty of good kids already on this Earth, but they need a better place to live." Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "Ah! I see!" He leaned in close and winked at him. "Saving Akiza's body all to yourself, even onto old age huh Yusei?" Yusei was puzzled, but Jack continued. "Of course, I don't blame you. With a woman as attractive as Akiza, it only makes sense that a person with an average body, at best, would be trying to keep a smoking hot body like hers all to himself." He then laughed as Yusei frowned. Yusei wasn't trying to do that, but if it meant Jack stopped making a scene, he would suck it up.

As the girls waited for the boys to come back, their talk about having kids was leading to...other subjects. Akiza told Carly that they were planning and Carly thought it was a great idea. "Are either of you going to have surgery?" she asked and Akiza looked at her kind of funny. "Surgery?" Akiza asked, "Why would we need surgery?" Carly smiled. "I'm just saying that if you guys don't plan on having kids, why take the risk or have to keep paying for birth control? Why not just make it permanent and make it so that one of you can't have kids." She leaned in close.

"Plus, it means that you can have as much 'sexy time' as you want and never have to worry." Akiza become a fiery red. "Carly!" she shouted, "We're not doing it just to have unprotected 'sexy time' with one another." Of course, knowing Carly, she just couldn't drop the subject, as it became even more personal. "Speaking of which, have you noticed the size of Yusei's...you know." Akiza's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" Carly giggled.

"When the guys come home, just watch what happens when they sit down. Yusei's pants get noticeable smaller when he sits down, while Jack's doesn't move at all." Akiza talked slowly as she connected the pieces. "So...you're saying that when a guy sits down...it shows off how big his...thing is?" Carly nodded. Akiza raised her voice as she asked her next question. "And you've been staring at Yusei's crotch for how long?" Akiza stood up and put her hands on her hips. Carly shrugged. "I'm just calling it as I see it. Just watch when the guys come back and you'll know what I'm talking about."

Sure enough the guys came in a few moments later. Yusei couldn't be happier to see his girlfriend as he went up to her and gave her a kiss hello. Carly watched Jack come inside. "So Jack, how was it?" Jack smiled. "Well...lets just say that we had to make a few pit stops to help some fans of the great King." Akiza looked at Yusei. "What's he talking about?" Yusei rolled his eyes. "He had to give some autographs."

"Oh," Akiza replied and watched closely as Yusei and Jack sat down. Akiza's first attention was on her boyfriend and how his pants got smaller when he sat down. A 3/4. No a 1/2. Oh, forget it! Akiza couldn't deny it. Yusei was a much smaller portion of the size he was, when sat down, than when pants were fully stretched out along his groin. Granted, most pants are made that way.

Akiza also looked at Jack and his pants were stretched out even longer that Yusei's was, but they didn't move a muscle. Akiza started to wonder just how big he was and...

Akiza shook her head. She's fantasizing about their groins for crying out loud! Akiza knew that no matter the small size Yusei was down there, she was happy. He loved her so much and she loved him just as much. Akiza instead looked at Yusei's sky blue eyes and tried to focus on the things that made him great from a personality viewpoint instead. The four of them talked a little bit, until Yusei finally decided to bring up the subject that Akiza and him had been planning on since the beginning.

"So you guys, how do you feel about having children?" Carly cupped her hands. "Great!" she replied, "I want lots of them!" Jack's eyes narrowed at her. "Are you crazy!? No way do I want some little snot nosed kid ruining my career!" Jack and Carly both stood up. "Are you kidding Jack? Some kid's not going to slow you down! It just means that you'll have to spend less time at the track and more time with them. That includes me!" Jack growled. "I'd love to spend time with you, but I undoubtedly do not want some kid there with you! Besides, I can't spend less time at the track! How will get more championships and get my face out there?"

Akiza and Yusei looked at one another, as they continued to argue, and Akiza went over to sit next to Yusei. They leaned in close, so that they could hear each other speak. "Hey Yusei! Want to get some ice cream?" Akiza shouted over their booming voices. Carly could scream pretty loud if she wanted to and Jack was obviously loud. "Sure thing," he replied, "I'll even pay for it." Akiza smiled. "Sounds good to me!" They took each other's hand and ran out the door, but Jack and Carly didn't noticed. They were still too busy arguing to pay attention to where their friends had gone to.

When Yusei and Akiza got back, Jack and Carly were gone and both felt disappointed that they did not get to say goodbye to them. They both hoped it turned out well, but luckily for them they didn't have to find out just how well the conversation had shifted to. They both sat on the couch and went back to watching TV, just like before Jack and Carly came over. As Akiza watched, she saw a commercial with a mother and baby and decided to consider what Carly said. Maybe it was best just to play it safe. Plus, if there was anyone who would understand her, it was Yusei. She took the remote and turned the TV off.

"Hey! I wanted another look at that new burger!" Yusei cried, "It looks really good." Akiza rolled her eyes. "Can you stop thinking about your stomach for a moment?" she asked, "There's something I want to ask you about and it's very important." Yusei's face firmed up as he faced Akiza. "Sure thing Akiza. What is it?" Akiza sighed. "With us not wanting to make kids, do think it would be best if we...took some precautionary measures to make sure we don't have an accident?" Yusei looked confused for a moment, before he understood.

"All right," he replied, "I'll be sure to wear a condom." Akiza shook her head. "No. No. Not that kind of protection. I mean a...surgical one." Yusei again looked confused, before understanding. "Okay," he replied, "I guess I could get a..." He paused and looked a little worried. "Snip snip." Akiza gasped and shook her head. "No! Not that Yusei!" Yusei turned to her.

"But Akiza, I don't want you going under the knife for me." Akiza shook her head. "No Yusei. I'm not having you do that." Yusei was stunned. "But..why not?" Akiza firmed up. "Yusei, I don't want you taking off one of your testicles and risking your groin, just so we can prevent us from having kids. I had to learn about these surgeries last semester and one of side effects is extreme pain and having to constantly hold ice on your groin." Yusei suddenly felt the urge to cover his groin. "Plus, wouldn't it damage your pride in being a man, by having only one testicle?" Yusei them cover his groin with both hands. Akiza smiled and put a hand towards her chest. "I'll get my tubes tied instead. That way, it wouldn't make you feel like less of a man." Yusei quickly put both hands on her shoulder.

"Hold on Akiza. I would happily risk my pride as a man, if it meant you didn't have to go in for surgery. I couldn't bear the thought and guilt if something happened to you." Akiza understood, but looked him square in the eye. "Yusei. We've discussed our thoughts about having children and I feel like this would be the right decision. I have studied both surgeries and even though there are more risks for the woman, it would be best if I had the operation. I want it, because it would give me the comfort and piece of mind knowing that I don't have to worry about getting pregnant. I just..." She looked down. "Want the reassurance. It would give me a lot less to worry about, knowing that I can't get pregnant, no matter if you're wearing protection or not." She looked up at him. "I just don't want to have a child on accident and having my tubes tied would be a lot more reassuring to me." Yusei nodded.

"I understand you don't want to have to worry about accidentally having a child. I couldn't bear the thought either, if we had a kid, and they found out that we hadn't really planned on having any. If you want to get your tubes tied, because it gives you that extra reassurance, then I'm all for it." They leaned in and kissed. When they leaned back, they smiled at one another. "If you'd like, I could explain to the procedure for you." Yusei nodded. "That sounds great," he replied.

"I could even show you on my body where the procedure will be done," Akiza added. Yusei's face turned red and Akiza laughed. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Come on. Lets go and talk to our other friends about it." Yusei's smile grew back and he managed to laugh as well. The two of them headed towards the phone and decided to call Crow, to ask him what he thought about having children. Of course, despite his sexual preference, Crow sounded eager to adopt a child of his own.

"I would love to have a kid!" he replied over a video phone, "Getting to see them grow up and introducing them to Turbo Dueling!" Crow turned to Yusei. "But don't worry Yusei. I'll be sure to be safe and not have him drive until he's old enough." Yusei smiled. "That's good," he replied, "As Martha always says safety first." Crow nodded back. "Yeah, just like when Jack was learning how to bike, he refused to wear a helmet." Akiza's eyes grew wide. "He did?" Crow smirked.

"Yeah. He thought he was invincible, until he finally fell off, and hit his head. Of course, he's always been grumpy since then." They all laughed and once their conversation with Crow was over, they told Leo and Luna, who still had a few days left until graduation. They both smiled as the couple congratulated them on getting their high school level education.

"Of course, I'm going to take my diploma and race straight into the secondary level of the European Turbo Duel League!" Leo said excitedly, "I could even go up on stage with my Turbo Dueling outfit!" Luna rolled her eyes. "You'll be wearing a cap and gown just like everybody else." Leo sighed. His sister could be just as serious as she was earlier in life, but it didn't bother him at all. Leo knew what he was going to do in life and just the fact that his sister supported his dream, despite not being able to ride a Duel Runner down the block without screaming, was good enough for him. Luna was excited to graduate, but her mind was elsewhere, as she thought about college, and what it would be like. Not having to have a strict, long schedule 5 days a week or getting to be off on her own was exciting. Luna had started to spend more time by herself, with Leo hanging around the Turbo Dueling people more and more often, and she wanted to experience life as a adult.

"Speaking of which," Akiza said as she interrupted Luna's thoughts, "Have either one of you thought about kids?" Leo smiled. "Sure I'd want kids," he replied, "I'd love to show them how to ride a Duel Runner!" As Leo's went on, pretty much with the same reply as Crow, Luna thought about it. She had never asked Dexter what his thoughts were. She then told two of her best friends, when it was her turn to speak, that she wasn't really sure. Yusei then told them about Akiza having surgery, and they explained how the operation was. Luna listened closely and wanted to be sure that Dexter was asked about it, when she flew back to New Domino City.

The graduation ceremony was fantastic. Leo looked bored, as he was waiting to go up, and he more into the all night party. Luna, on the other hand, took it all in. Sure, they didn't have their friends there to cheer when they called their name, but they knew there were there in spirit. Luna looked around at the big auditorium and all the people, feeling odd to be the center of attention. Luna may have gotten a two year scholarship, but she was not the best in her class. It went to some kind who people thought would become the next Einstein or Thomas Edison (of course that's what the kids in the hallways said). Luna looked around at all the kids in their class. Some she recognized from classes, while others she barely even saw. A couple girls smiled at her and a few guys winked at her, but Luna rolled her eyes at the latter. Guys still looked at Luna only for her body, which was thankfully covered by her cap and gown.

Once their names were called, they both smiled, and happily accepted their diplomas. Luna could hear a few whistles at her as she walked off stage. but she ignored them. She then walked up to her homeroom teacher and gave her a hug. Luna had become better friends with some of the teachers than most of her classmates. Plus, they didn't judge her on either her looks or height. They were just a neutral party in the situation and Luna was thankful for their work. The all night party went on without a hitch and the twins caught their flight back home the day after.

As Luna flew back, she remembered what Akiza and Yusei had talked to her about and having children. Luna decided that she would talk to Dexter immediately about it, once they were done talking about graduation, and such. When she got there, Dexter was waiting for them at the airport. Leo stopped walking and motion for her to head towards her boyfriend. Luna blushed and walked up to him. Before she could finish saying "hello" Dexter whipped out her favorite flowers. Luna blushed as she looked at him, from above the flowers.

"Welcome home Luna and congratulations." Luna smiled. "Thanks Dexter and congratulations to you too." She took the flowers and then gave him a peck on the cheek. "We'll do something fun later." Dexter became worried it was something else, but Luna gave him a wink when he looked up to her. Suddenly, Yusei and Akiza appeared behind him, and the twins smiled as they greeted one another. They welcomed them home and they talked about graduating, as they left the airport. They took a limo home, but Yusei and Akiza stayed inside, letting them go off by themselves. Dexter got out of the car, however, as Luna wanted him to come with. He walked with them to their apartment, as the limo drove away. When they got upstairs, Leo and Luna set their things down. "So you guys are having a graduation party?" Dexter asked and Luna nodded.

"Yep. It'll be in a couple of weeks and you're more than happy to come Dexter. We'll be sure to invite Bob, Patty, and Sly, as well as all our other friends." Even though the twins had held off on having a get together party with their friends for a few years, they still kept in touch every now and again through social media. Luna smiled as she thought about the party, but she then remembered what she told Dexter at the airport. Luna was about to get close to him, when she noticed that Leo was still there, and getting things unpacked. She took Dexter's hand and led him out of the room.

"Would it be okay if we hold off on doing what I wanted to do until tomorrow?" Luna asked. Dexter nodded and blushed. "We're not going too..." Luna immediately knew where this was going and shook her head. "No," she replied, "But it will be fun." She gave him a wink and Luna laughed at Dexter's shy expression.

The next day, once Leo was gone, Luna invited Dexter over. To be honest, Dexter was extremely nervous. He figured that they might have their first real make out session. The one they had as they said goodbye was fantastic, but he wondered just how far Luna was going to push it. He hoped that he would do well and hopefully it wouldn't hurt him or especially Luna. When he got there, Luna answered the door, and Dexter immediately noticed her attire. A dark green t-shirt with tiny short shorts had all the makings of a physical confrontation. "Come on in Dexter," Luna said in a normal voice. She pushed the door to let him in and, once it was closed, Luna walked in front of him, with some sway in her hips. Dexter felt his mouth water, as he followed her to the couch. Luna already had two glasses of water set out, as if she knew the routine.

Dexter was nervous as he sat down and Luna paused for a moment, waiting for Dexter to take notice of her behind, before finally sitting it down on the couch. When she did, she put an arm around him, and leaned in close. "There's something I want to talk to you about Dexter, before we...well..." She looked away. "Kiss." Dexter nodded slowly. "What...what is it about?" Luna turned back to him, with a serious look on her face. "How do you feel about having kids?" Dexter was surprised by her question, but knew his response. "Well...I'm...not really sure," he replied, "What's your take on it?" Luna faced forward and took her arm off of him.

"In truth, I could go either way, but I would really prefer not to have them," she replied. "Oh," Dexter answered back, "Is it, because your parents might have had you by accident?" Dexter gasped after he realized what he said. He closed his eyes and looked down. "I'm sorry!" he shouted, "I shouldn't have said that! I mean, it's just that...you're parents are never around, and so, it's kind of like they might have had you by mistake. I...I'm...I'm sorry!" Luna's voice didn't sound mad or upset.

"Dexter. It's okay. I know what you're saying." Dexter opened his eyes. "You do?" He faced her and Luna nodded, her long green hair bouncing with each nod. "Yes," she continued, "I have thought about that. I mean, when Leo and I were little, our parents left us. Then, out of the blue, they suddenly wanted to be with us, but only if we acted just like them. It was as if, they did have us by mistake, and then realized how a bad thing could turn into a good thing." Dexter still felt bad. "Well...I'm sorry I called you a mistake." Luna put her right arm back around him.

"Dexter. If I said I had never thought about being a mistake by my parents, I would be lying. I was put here for a reason and there's a reason why I'm still here, so that gives me the strength to keep going no matter what." Dexter thought about it for a moment. "Oh. Well...that's good. I guess." Luna looked at him for a moment. "Dexter...do you see yourself as a mistake?" Dexter looked up. "What? Me? No way!" Luna frowned. "I know that you're lying," she replied, "You do see yourself as a mistake, because your parents did almost the exact same thing to you. Dexter, you're not a mistake. Okay?" Dexter sighed. Luna could read him like a book and it was amazing how accurate she was. He had thought about it and he sometimes did see himself as a mistake, with the way his parents had treated him.

"Dexter," Luna continued, "I can't stress the fact that you really are not a mistake. You're special and you're an important part of many people's lives. And it's not just mine. There are people out there who love you: Yusei, Akiza, Leo, Jack, Crow, Martha, and many more people that would hate to see so sad. Dexter, you're not a mistake and don't ever feel that way. Know that there's a reason why you're here and there's a reason why you were put on this Earth." Luna leaned forward and hugged him. "I love you." Dexter smiled and hugged her back. "I love you too Luna." They leaned back and Luna smiled at him. "So don't ever feel as though you're an accident Dexter. You're a wonderful and special guy." Dexter blushed. "All right," he replied and gave Luna one more hug, "Thanks Luna." Luna leaned back. "So how do you feel about having kids?" Luna asked. Dexter thought for a moment.

"Can...can I think about it?" Luna smiled. "Of course you can Dexter and it's not something you have to know this instant. I just want you to make an informed and good decision." Dexter thanked her and got up. He then headed for the door. "Could I tell you when I know the answer?" Luna stood up. "Of course," she replied, "Take as much time as you need." Dexter quickly gave her one more hug and stood on his toes to place a quick kiss on the lips. "Thanks Luna. I love you so much." Luna smiled. "I love you too." Dexter smiled and ran out the door. On his way hone, he realized something.

"Wait, weren't Luna and I going to make out?" He then paused for a moment. "Crap!" he shouted and mumbled all the way home, "How could I be so stupid?"

That night, Dexter was dreaming of what his decision was and the result that could happen.

_Dexter's Dream_

Dexter was at the hospital with Luna. She was sitting in her seat giving labor. Since he was the one to get her pregnant, Dexter clutched onto Luna's hand and he started screaming almost as loud as she was. "You did this to me!" Luna cried, "You got me pregnant and now I'm in this pain!" She the grunted and squeezed Dexter's hand so tight that he was sure it was broken. Of course, the only good that came out it, was that he didn't have to look at what the doctor was seeing.

Suddenly, Dexter found himself standing next to Luna with a baby in her arms. She held it out for him. "See Dexter? Isn't he cute?" Dexter looked at him. "He sure is," he replied. 'But what about when we take him home and have to take care of him?' Dexter wondered to himself.

Then, Dexter found himself sleeping in a large bed. He looked over to see Luna sleeping soundly and he smiled as he laid back down. Suddenly, he heard a baby cry and Luna groan, "Dexter. It's your turn." Dexter sighed and forced himself to get out of bed. He went to the baby crib, in the next room, and tried to get it to calm down, but nothing worked. Dexter sighed as he looked out at the houses, that were all sleeping soundly, and quietly. Dexter wished he could be them right now.

Later, Dexter found himself at an office building, and a man at his desk. "Dexter! Balance these books right away!" Dexter could feel the sweat drop off his neck. "Uh...yes sir!" he replied and suddenly, his phone rang. Dexter picked it up. "Yes? This is Dexter speaking." It was Luna. "I need you to take our son to his t-ball game tonight." Dexter sighed. "I'll try. I've got a lot of things on my plate." Luna sighed.

"I have parent-teacher conferences tonight. So you're the only way to get him there," Luna replied, "So be sure to do it!" Dexter sighed. "Sure thing. I love you Luna." Luna's reply seemingly made time slow down, despite the busy things going around each of them at work. "I love you too," Luna replied and they both smiled into the phone. Suddenly, they hanged up the phone, and went back to their hectic lives.

Finally, Dexter was bald and looking a lot older. He looked to his right and there was a man about his height and with glasses. He picked up a bag and smiled. "Well Dad. I'm heading off." Dexter smiled and patted his back. "Okay son. Good luck!" He watched him walk forward and soon disappear. Dexter heard footsteps behind him. "Dexter?" Luna asked and he turned around.

Despite her age, Luna was still wearing small short shorts, and there were many lines on her face. She smiled at him and had two small blue blobs in her arms. "I have a surprise for you," she continued and suddenly, two girls that looked like her stared at their father. They both blinked and suddenly started crying. As Dexter watched, he looked stunned for a moment. He then closed his big brown eyes, put his head up, and screamed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

_End Dexter's Dream_

Suddenly, Dexter woke up and he took a moment to recover. He took a few breaths and rolled over to his other side. He had to tell Luna the truth, whether she liked it or not. The only problem was that it seemed so black and white. You have kids or you don't. Couldn't there be a third option that went right down the middle? Dexter hoped she wouldn't get mad at him, but then again, she seemed so calm and kind. Dexter sighed and looked up at the ceiling, hoping for answers.

The next day, Dexter looked down, as he walked to Luna's house. He worried about her reaction and hoped it wouldn't be the end of their relationship. When he got there, Luna was all alone, but she smiled when she saw him. "I'm so glad you're here Dexter. Come on in!" Dexter sighed and walked in. Luna could tell something was wrong and decided to immediately help him. When he slumped over on the couch, Luna went right to his side to comfort him.

"So what do you think?" Luna asked. Dexter sighed. "I...wish there was a third option," he replied. Luna tried to reassure him. "Dexter. I know that I said I wasn't big on having kids, but if you truly want them, then I'll be more than happy to bare them for you. If not, then I'll happily try to prevent it from happening." Dexter sighed. "But that's just it, can't there be another option? One that lets us not have kids, but at the same time leaves the door open if we do want one?" Luna thought for a moment.

"Well...we could do what Akiza and Yusei are doing." Dexter was stunned. Yusei hadn't told him about that. Granted, he didn't reaally talk to him for at least a couple of weeks. "Wait, what are Yusei and Akiza doing?" Luna explained how they weren't going to have children of their own, but were going to adopt if they had one. She then mentioned how Akiza was planning to get her tubes tied.

"Well...that actually sounds like a good plan," Dexter admitted, "Of course..." He looked at Luna and suddenly felt guilty. "I would happily do that if you'd like," Luna suggested, but she instantly knew Dexter was still full of guilt. "It would actually benefit both of us," Luna replied and it made Dexter turn his head. "How so?" he asked. Luna scooted closer to him and smiled. "Because that way, I can have my thought of not having kids accomplished," Luna replied, "I'm going to be a teacher Dexter and have to be around kids all day. I really don't want to have to be around a bunch of them when I get home too." Dexter was awestruck. "Really?" Luna nodded.

"Plus, if you still want kids, we can have kids," Luna added, "So it's a win-win. We can..." Luna blushed. "Without having to worry..." Dexter now blushed as well and tried to look serious. "But also have your idea of kids, just in case we still want one. Plus, you can adopt at any age, so if you want to avoid having to deal with baby stuff than that's fine." Dexter thought about it. "That does sound good," he replied and gave her a hug. He then realized something. "But what about getting your tubes tied? Isn't that risky?" Luna closed her eyes and smiled.

"It's not that bad," she replied, "Akiza told me all about it. In fact, if I wanted to, I could have it done with her. It would be a 2-for-1 special." Dexter looked at her, still a little concerned. "Are you sure you wouldn't want me to get my...uh...thing cut off?" Luna shook her head. "I don't want you doing that Dexter. I'd feel much better having the surgery done with Akiza. She assured me it's safe and told me all about it. To be honest, I thought about it before even talking to you, but I wanted you opinion first." Dexter nodded. "Are you absolutely sure you want this?" Luna nodded. "I am," she replied firmly and with confidence. Dexter nodded as well.

"Now," Luna started as she leaned in forward, "Are you ready for some fun?" Dexter suddenly blushed and Luna gently pushed Dexter on the couch. "Are...are you sure we won't get pregnant or anything?" Dexter asked. Luna smiled as she got over him. "Don't worry Dexter. We'll still be virgins when this is over and we'll still be virgins at the end of the Summer. I want to do this, but are you sure?" Dexter nodded. "Sure. Lets go for it!" Luna then leaned in and kissed him squarely on the lips. It took a few moments for Dexter to get into the swing of things, as it was the first time since last Summer that he had kissed Luna like this.

The only difference was that Luna started grinding her hips into him. Which were covered by those few inches of short shorts. Dexter moaned and Luna leaned back. "Dexter. Are you all right?" Dexter smiled. "Yeah. It feels really good. Why? Are you feeling all right?" Luna smiled. "Yes I am," she replied, "So lets keep going." She then pressed her lips on him and they kept going.

A couple weeks later, the twins hosted their graduation party. Crow and Jack couldn't come for obvious reasons, but everyone else came that they invited. Martha, Yusei, and Akiza helped them get everything set. It was a good party, with lots of their friends coming back. It had been the first time their friends had seen Luna and Dexter together. Most of them were happy about it and hoped that things would work out. Still, despite their kind words, Dexter was noticeably less affectionate than usual with Luna. When the party was over, Luna talked to him about it.

"I know that..." Dexter sighed. "I know that Sly found you attractive and wanted to date you." He finally finished as he looked at the floor, "So I didn't want to rub it in his face that I'm with you instead of him. He gave me some mean looks and I felt bad about hugging you or doing anything affectionate. Plus, I worried that..." Dexter waited a moment, as Luna finally asked him to finish. "What? What did you worry about?" she asked. Dexter sighed. "I worried that you might want to be with him rather than me." Luna smiled and quickly put him in a hug. It was clear Dexter was upset.

"Dexter. You're a great guy and I love you. But the fact is that Leo and Sly have never gotten along. I would hate to be in a relationship that upsets my brother like that. With I'm with you, it's the total opposite. Leo and you have been great friends for years and it's the same with you and me. So, Leo's happy and I'm happy. I'm not saying Sly's a bad guy. He's a good friend. But at the same time, I wouldn't want Leo and him getting in constant fights. When you're with somebody you have to be with their family as well. You don't have that problem Dexter, but I'm touched that you cared so much that you didn't want to hurt Sly's feelings."

She gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry Dexter. I don't mind being with you at all. Okay? I love you." She gave him one more kiss and then gave him a smile. Dexter could only smile back as she wrapped him in a hug. "You're a great guy with a big heart," she added and they both smiled.

Towards the end of the Summer, Luna and Akiza had planned for the operation. They sat in their beds and their boyfriends were at their side. "Akiza," Yusei said softly as he held her hand. Dexter did the same. "Luna," he added and the two women looked at them. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. "Yes Yusei and don't worry. I've talked to the doctor who's doing it. We'll be fine." Luna smiled. "Yeah. So don't worry you guys. Everything's going to be all right." A few moments later, the surgeon came in.

"All right ladies. You ready?" They both nodded. "All right. Who's going first?" Akiza raised her hand and Yusei gave her one last kiss on the lips. They whispered a "I love you" to one another and they pushed Akiza away. Dexter did the same to Luna and the two men stayed behind. They later sat in the waiting room, hoping for the best. Yusei was taking it pretty well, as Akiza had told him (but luckily not shown him) everything they would be doing. He knew that Dexter probably didn't know as much about the surgery, and so he was looking pretty nervous.

Yusei got up from the couch that sat to the side of the one Dexter was sitting on. He sat down next to him and out an arm around his back. "Hey it'll be all right. Akiza explained everything to me. I'm a little worried myself, but don't worry. Everything's just going to be great." Dexter nodded and hoped he was right. "I just want to Luna to be okay," he replied and the two men comforted one another. A few hours later, the surgeries were both finished, and the two men could visit their girlfriends in their room, which they shared together. Akiza's parents were there as well, but they let the boyfriends have the first moment with their girlfriends once they woke up.

When the girls opened their eyes, they were immediately met with a kiss and "I love you" from their boyfriends. What started as awkward conversation a few months ago between Yusei and Akiza now ended with them in a hospital, for a happy moment instead of a bad one. The doctor came in a few minutes later and said, "Your tubes are tied as tight as drum." They all smiled and were happy for a successful and happy surgery.

**A/N: I was not trying to bash Luna x Sly in this Chapter. I respect the pairing and was just trying to give an explanation as to what problems could come up if they were together. **

**I hope this second part was not offensive to anyone and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving/weekend! **


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47!  
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****Shinn Tsukishiro**: I was trying to stress them not wanting to "accidentally" have a child and I'm glad you understood. I know other people might disagree with playing it safe, but I think that it's a decision that both couples would make.  
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**Anyways, sorry for the long wait.  
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The twins and Akiza decided to leave together on their trip back to school, but a few days before, their attention slowly changed to something else. Luna was visiting Dexter, when the phone rang. Luna gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek, before getting up to answer it. When she picked it up, a smile dawned on her face. "Hello?" Luna asked as she tilted her head, "Oh Dexter, it's for you." He got up and took the phone from her. "Hello?" he asked.

"Dexter. This is Sally from Yuper's. How are you?" Dexter suddenly felt sweaty. Yuper's was a big box store a couple of miles away. "Okay," Dexter replied. He went and sat down on the couch. Luna watched him and could tell he was nervous. She followed him and watched as he talked to the woman on the phone. "Yes. Wait...what was the second one? Okay. I'll take that one. Okay. Thanks so much. Bye." Dexter hanged up.

"Who was that?" Luna asked. Dexter looked down shyly. "It was someone from Yuper's," he replied. Luna gasped. "That's that big store a few miles away. What did they want?" Dexter spoke slowly and in broken sentences. "I...uh...submitted a job application a few weeks ago. They...asked me to...come in for an interview." Luna smiled. "Oh that's great Dexter!" She leaned in and gave him a big hug. "I know you'll do well an get the job." Dexter blushed.

"Yeah, but...um...I've never had a job interview. So, I'm kind of nervous," he replied. Luna hugged him again. "Oh don't worry Dexter! I'll help you get all nice and perfect for your interview." She took his hand. "Come on! Lets go find an outfit for you to wear." Dexter then found himself being tugged all the way back home by his girlfriend. When they got to his room, Dexter was a bit embarrassed. Luna had seen his room with sports pictures and logos for the local sports teams before, but she had never seen his entire wardrobe. He watched her open it and start to look at all of his clothes.

"Now lets see if there's something here that would look good." She picked out a long orange dress shirt and put it in front of him. "Mmm...a little too bright," she replied and then turned back around. Dexter took a seat at the edge of the bed, as he knew Luna was better when it came to fashion than himself. "What if I wore the dress shirt I have for Christmas?" Dexter offered, but she wasn't paying attention. Luna smiled as she found the shirt. "How about this?" she asked and put it in front of him, still on it's hanger.

"Perfect!" she said aloud to him, "All you need is some dress pants and you're all set! I am so smart." Dexter laughed sarcastically, as he had been the person to originally pick out the outfit.

A couple days later, Luna found herself standing outside the store with Dexter. She smiled as he looked all nice and neat for his interview. "Okay. One more check through." She went down a list which was on a notepad. "Hair?"

"Check," Dexter replied as he felt it once more.

"Teeth?"

"Brushed and used mouthwash."

"Arm pits?"

"I used lots of deodorant," Dexter replied and Luna looked up. "Oh Dexter!" He looked around nervously. "What? What's wrong?" Luna frowned as she out a hand by one of his armpits. It was already black with sweat.

"I'm sorry," Dexter replied, "I'm really nervous." Luna gave him a sympathetic smile. "Well...I guess you're not the only person to be nervous on an interview." She put her hands on his shoulders and had him face the store. "Now go in there and do your best!" Luna shouted. She then realized how loud her voice was. "Oh by the way," she added, "What job are you trying for?" Dexter looked over and saw a man with an orange vest on.

"Cart Attendant," he replied and Luna frowned. "But...won't you have to deal with all the cold and snow? You know how bad it gets during the winter in New Domino City." Dexter shrugged. "Well...it was the only job open that I could find," he replied, "So you take what you can get." Luna turned him back around and gave him a quick kiss, as she noticed the time.

"No matter what Dexter, I will still love you, even if you don't get the job." Dexter smiled. "Thanks Luna." They smiled at one another, before Dexter went back towards the door. "Good luck!" Luna cried, "I'll be waiting here for ya!" Dexter waved and walked inside.

About 45 minutes later, Luna was still waiting inside for him. She then spotted Dexter carrying a large white packet and reading it as he walked. He almost accidentally walked into a few people. "Dexter!" Luna cried as she waved at him. He then ran up to her. "So, do you have another interview?" Luna asked. Dexter smiled shyly at her. "I...got the job, actually." Luna gasped. "You did?" Dexter nodded slowly and Luna wrapped him in a hug. "I knew you could do it!" she cried as she wiggled him in her arms. Dexter could only groan as he felt himself shaking. When Luna finally leaned back, she looked happier than Dexter was.

"I always knew that you deserved something like this Dexter. That's why I'm so happy for you!" Dexter chuckled. "Well...I'm glad," he replied. "When is your first day?" Luna asked. Dexter looked at the schedule. "A couple of days," he replied, "I have to cashier for one day and then I'll start my training for the cart attending on the weekend." He looked up nervously.

"The only thing was that I wasn't sure how many hours to schedule or work, because I can't drive myself to work." Luna smiled. "Well, I have good news," she replied, "Yusei offered to take you to work whenever you need to." Dexter was stunned. "Really? What about his work?"

"He said that he had plenty of free time and that he was going to be working on a couple of assignments, so he'd have to be driving around town anyways." Dexter became a little scared and also curious.

"Is he upset at all?" Dexter asked, "And what does he mean by assignments?" Luna smiled. "He's not upset at having to take you at all," she replied, "He's more than happy, especially since he'll get to spend some time with you, even if it's not a very long drive. As for the assignments, I'm not sure what they are. Yusei got really defensive and said it was private information. However, he did mention that he would tell everyone when the time was right." Dexter was a little confused at the latter, but he was more than happy by the former subject.

"Well...should we get going?" Dexter asked, "I'll be spending a lot more time in here as it is." Luna nodded and they took each other's hand. They walked outside and decided to walk home, despite the distance. It was too beautiful of a late Summer day to pass up. "I guess with you now having a job, it means more money that you can spend on me."

"Yeah," Dexter replied, although he was little nervous. He had gotten used to Luna paying for everything, but now he was going to have to fork up some money. He didn't like spending money, even on himself, but if he wanted Luna to be happy, he'd have to suck it up. Besides, she had done so much for him, that he felt as though he should pay her back somehow.

When Akiza made it over to Germany, it was certainly a different feel. She didn't have to worry about getting a good grade or cramming for tests. All she had to worry about was doing her job. She got assigned to a local hospital, with a female nurse as her teacher. There were also a few student advisers assigned to each hospital as well. They were there if the other students needed advice or help with their internship. All of the advisers had finished their training or finished it early, in order to qualify for the position. Akiza's goal was to become one of them, because then she could help her fellow classmates as well as finish up her training earlier. When she arrived at the hospital for training, she asked the Secretary where she could find her doctor.

"She's in room 23C," she replied, "On floor 3." Akiza smiled and thanked her for the advice. When she got there, the nurse with black hair and black glasses stood up from her desk. "Hi! You must be Akiza Izinski. My name's Stacy." Akiza smiled. "That's me," she replied and they shook hands. "Okay. Lets get started. We're doing pretty much the most basic stuff today," she replied, "I'll show you where to find everything you need." Akiza followed her and they met their first patient. He was having a sore wrist and Stacy helped him figure out what to do. It felt a little awkward for the gentleman to have two women in the room looking over him, but the doctor and doctor in training advised him to let it rest for a few days. They then moved onto other patients with illnesses and fevers.

"We'll let the more experienced and trained doctors handle these ones," Stacy replied as the two of them left a room, "Would you ever consider doing the more serious stuff?" Akiza shook her head. "I want to help the most patients I can," she replied, "And I can help more people with more basic problems. Plus, I can't ever imagine the pressure of doing surgery on a person's body. It seems like way too much to worry about." Stacy smiled. "I know exactly what you mean. That's why I'm sticking with my current position. It might be less pay than being promoted, but I enjoy what I do."

Stacy looked at the time. "Well...we have one more patient to go, before it's lunch time. Once that starts, I'll show you to your small office space, where you can keep track of things." Akiza nodded and once they were done with the patient, Stacy led her to a small office space. It was rather small, but Akiza was happy that she got anything at all. "This is your 'practice workspace' so to speak," Stacy continued, "This is where you'll have access to my appointments and I'll also be able to show you what you'll have to do when trying to do the computer work on a patient. But for right now, just try to make it more at home. If you become a student adviser, you'll have a much bigger space upstairs." Akiza nodded and Stacy left to give her some time alone.

Akiza reached in her custom fitted white jacked and pulled something out. It was the thin, red frame of the WRGP photo that Yusei had given to her as a gift. It seemed like a small gesture and it was simple to stare at the entire photo. However, like Yusei, she had her eyes on only one person in the photo. For Akiza, it was him and for Yusei, it was her. Seeing their happy smiles, which had become more frequent, especially for Yusei. Not to mention, seeing all their friends that were there with them, enjoying the moment. Still, Akiza thought of Yusei and instantly thought of what time it was. Akiza smiled and quickly went online.

Back in New Domino City, the sun was starting to rise. Yusei left his phone on all night, just in case Akiza called. It drained his battery and he had to constantly recharge it. But if Akiza called even once, it make all the extra work worth it. Suddenly, he heard his phone off and his snore awoke him. "Mmmm...doughnuts," Yusei moaned as he awoke to hearing his phone go off. Yusei used his long arm to reach the nightstand, with a little bit of leaning on his part. He picked up the phone and slowly opened his eyes. He got his black framed glasses on and got used to the light. When he did, he read the message Akiza sent him.

"Good morning Yusei! Sorry to wake you. I'm having lunch right now and my day has been going great! Stacy is really nice and she's been very helpful. I have a small office space, but I'll be sure to find some way to hook a video camera up to the computer. If not, I'll send you a message everyday, telling you how my day was. Thanks for listening Yusei and I hope you can get back to sleep. I love you so much Yusei! You're the best boyfriend in the entire world. Love you lots. Akiza."

Yusei smiled once he finished the message. He wanted to send it back, but his body was still too tired to respond. "I'll send her something in a few hours," Yusei mumbled to himself, "Besides, it'll be a good gift for her when she is done." Later, as Akiza left the hospital, she checked her phone and was pleasantly surprised when she saw the message Yusei had sent her.

"Hey Akiza! I'm so glad that you're enjoying your time at the hospital. I'm glad that you have some office space and time during the day, so that we can still stay in touch. I know you'll be a great doctor someday Akiza and know that I'm behind you 110%. You're the best girlfriend I could ever ask for and I love you so much Akiza. Love you back. Yusei."

Akiza smiled and blushed at the same time. Yusei was so sweet and supportive of her. It was just a couple of things that made him so irresistible. A couple more came up when Luna told her that he volunteered to take Dexter to work. The Tops didn't allow people to use their driving services when they were not home and even though Yusei could lie and claim the limo was needed for him, he didn't want to get into trouble. So, as he drove Dexter to a night shift, Yusei smiled as he listened to the radio.

"Yusei. I'm really sorry that you have to do this for me." Yusei shrugged. "It's no big deal," he replied, "Like I said Dexter, you're my friend, and I'll gladly help you with whatever you need. Plus, it gives us a little guy time together." Yusei went back to humming to the song on the radio and Dexter looked out at the streets. He finally had a job and college had, at least so far, been going all right. Yet, he was still sad. Could it be from Luna being away? Well...maybe, but he had gone long spans of time without her.

Maybe it was the fact that, over the summer, they had gotten a lot closer. Luna happily took him places, even if she had to force him to get out of the house quite a bit. They went on a few dates out to dinner or lunch. Even with Dexter going out with her a few times, he still got incredibly nervous. Luna, like always, could read him like a book, and tried to cheer him up. She would hold his hand or put her arm around her, letting other people know that he was with her. Plus, Dexter was relived when they spent a few nights at home alone. Dexter would sneak in a hug or kiss every few minutes and, despite the frequency, Luna wasn't bothered at all with his constant affection.

As Yusei pulled up to a stop sign in front of the store, Dexter got out, with his light, black jacket on. "I'll pick you up at 10:30," Yusei shouted, "Have a good night!" Dexter nodded and headed inside. He had become friends with a couple of the other employees, but he still didn't feel like he was"one of them" yet. He went inside and waited to punch in. He put his lunch and water bottle into the break room fridge while he waited and then sat in a chair by the time clock.

When it was time, he punched in and headed back outside. He waited for a car to pass and he started collecting the carts until there were about 5 of them all together. Dexter then pushed them as fast as he could, back inside, and then repeated the same process over again. He soon went inside and collected baskets, before getting a drink of water. He brought bags to the check lanes and checked in on the restrooms, before heading back outside. When he finally got a break, Dexter slumped in his chair and tried his best to relax.

Later, he waited for Yusei outside of the store. He had finished a little bit early and the supervisor told him that he could go home. When Yusei's small, used car pulled up, Dexter ran over to him, and got inside. "So how was you're day?" Yusei asked. Dexter shrugged. "Fine," he replied and leaned back into his seat. He had school the following day, so he knew he didn't have much time to relax.

Still, as Dexter went back and forth to work and took school online, he wondered what Yusei was up to. Sometimes, he was a little later than when Dexter ended, so Dexter decided to wait a few more minutes to punch out. If it got to be 10 minutes or so, someone would ask him if he punched out, but he could wait a good 5 minutes without any problem. When Dexter asked why Yusei was late, he would say that he was working on something or he would have a much more believable answer, such as being stuck in traffic. When Dexter asked him about the less believable reasons, Yusei said that he'll have wait until the time was right. Dexter felt guilty bringing up the subject a few times, but Yusei gave him some words of encouragement.

"Don't worry Dexter. I'm sure you and everyone else will be more than happy with what I have in store." Dexter was confused by it, but it brought a smile to Yusei's face and it made him happy. At the same time though, it didn't make Yusei get very defensive about it and Dexter hoped the wait was worth it.

For Jack and Crow, their seasons ended very well and, yet again, Crow wanted to switch teams. He was now a veteran in the garage area and all the new rookies and upstarts wanted him to join their team. Crow decided, once again, to pick some upstarts to work with for the coming year. For Jack, it was same old same old, as he relaxed on a beach in the Bahamas. When Thanksgiving rolled around, Yusei invited Dexter to come with, but he was surprised when Dexter went to bed right after lunch. Yusei followed him upstairs.

"Dexter. Are you not feeling well?" Dexter rolled over. "No. I have to go to work in a few hours," he replied. Yusei frowned. It was one of the problems he had working retail and Yusei felt terrible that he had to spend the day away from his friends. "Well...good luck trying to sleep," Yusei replied, "I'll get you up when it's time to leave." Dexter nodded and Yusei shut the door. Dexter sighed as he put a sleep mask over his eyes. 'At least I'm not missing time with Luna,' Dexter thought as he rolled back over.

Sure enough, a couple hours later, Akiza called to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. Yusei happily smiled and waved at the camera as Akiza laughed at his very upbeat attitude. The twins followed shortly after. When Luna asked where Dexter was, Yusei told her the bad news. "I could wake him up," he offered, but Luna told him that she'll talk to him in a few days. Yusei would relay the message to him and they all said goodbye.

As Dexter watched the many people push and shove each other, trying to get a gift, he felt bad that he missed talking with Akiza, Leo, and Luna. He wished that he could have gotten to talk with Yusei and Mr. Izinski over the football game and played board games with them. Still, he had a job now, and the consequences were that he had to be here on Thanksgiving, away from them. He watched as people rushed inside and he got ready to ring them up.

When Christmas rolled around, Yusei was energetic as Akiza had quickly adjusted to life in a clinic. Akiza was grateful that Stacy gave her an extra week off for her hard work, although she learned later that all the interns got the same deal. Still, it meant one more week with her family and Yusei. When she flew back over the Atlantic, Yusei ran up to her, before Akiza even saw him.

"Wow! You must be excited," Akiza noted as he wrapped her in a hug. She laughed as she felt him squeeze her tightly and plant a big kiss on the lips. Yusei leaned back and gave her a big bouquet of roses. Her parents walked up along with Martha. "Hey you guys," Akiza replied as Yusei stepped aside and let her greet her family. When she turned back to Yusei, she got in close, and wrapped her arms around him. "By the way, I have a little surprise for you," she announced. Everyone looked at her and Akiza took her boyfriend's hand. "Follow me."

Later, Dexter stared up at his ceiling as he listened to music and rocked back and forth. His finals were all done and he was waiting for the Christmas holiday to come. The doorbell rang and he knew who it probably was: Yusei and Akiza were stopping by to say hello. He enjoyed seeing them together, as did everyone else. Constant affection, lots of hugs and kisses, and endless sweet talk were just a few of the things they did when they were together. It was fun to watch, especially since their love was so strong and continued to grow every day.

As Dexter opened the door, he figured that he knew exactly who it was. However, he suddenly realized that the person standing before him was taller than him. Green hair, an almost yellowish colored eyes. and a cute smile? His mouth turned from frown, to stunned, to happy in just a few seconds. Luna closed her eyes and giggled. "Merry Christmas?" Suddenly, Dexter leaned forward and gave her a huge hug. It really was her! Dexter looked up and she leaned down to give him a big kiss on the lips. "Luna! You're back! But how?" Luna smiled. "I have a Christmas break, the same time as you, and Leo and I are old enough that our parents can't force us not to fly back home. So, it only seemed right to spend Christmas with you, just like Akiza has done all these years." Dexter leaned in and hugged her again. There was no doubt that this was going to be a great Christmas.

**A/N: I apologize for the extra long delay. I've been having some pain in my wrist and it has hurt for me to type. I might get it checked out as I think it might be work related. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the Chapter and get ready for an extra surprise come next Chapter!**


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48!  
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**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews by melan anime!  
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** tom. zhu .509: That's great to hear! Thanks so much!**

**Shinn Tsukishiro: I know. I've had to work a lot recently. Thanks as always for the review!**

After Luna and Dexter got talked for a little bit, Luna took Dexter's hand, and led him to the limo outside. Leo was waiting and Dexter and him shook hands. "So Luna says that you came on a flight that landed before she did?" Dexter confirmed, "So now you guys will be here for Christmas too?" Leo grinned. "Yep, so we'll finally get to spend a Christmas together. If only Jack and Crow were here, it would make Christmas complete."

They all headed over to the Izinski's, where the rest of them were waiting. Yusei and Akiza sat close to one another on the couch and gave each other occasional hugs and kisses. There were a few extra chairs waiting for the three of them that arrived later and they all sat around in a circle and talked. The conversation moved from various topics from how Akiza was doing with her internship to how the Luna and Dexter were going along with college. Luna admitted that it was much more freedom away from her K-12 years, but she was happy to be attending and following her dream. Dexter replied that he felt the same way.

Finally, the conversation turned to the holiday that was upcoming. Martha invited all of them to come over and visit her place. "I have to work until 3," Dexter informed Luna and Leo, "So could you guys come pick me up and then take me home to get dressed." The twins nodded. "That sounds like a great idea," Leo replied, "Then after getting dressed and stuff, we can go to Martha's together. When we're ready to leave, you can stay with us." Dexter was worried. "Are you sure that's all right?" he asked.

"Of course it's all right," Luna replied, "It'll be much easier that way!" Dexter was grateful for their offer and they turned their attention back to the group as a whole. "So what should I bring?" Yusei asked. Martha just laughed. "Just bring something simple," she replied, "Like meatballs or something like that." Yusei nodded and Akiza spoke up. "Is there anything my family should bring?" she asked, "There is a lot of things that we could carry inside." Yusei laughed.

"You know Martha. She always has extras of just about everything. So just bring something simple and she'll handle the rest." They tuned to Martha and who nodded in agreement. "Just bring some pop or something to drink," she replied and Ms. Izinski asked everyone if there was something they really liked. "Anything with caffeine!" Leo replied and Luna looked angrily at him. "But then you'll be up all night," she replied. She turned to Ms. Izinski. "Just get some sparking juice," she replied, "That's what Yusei, Akiza, Dexter, and I all like." Yusei nodded and looked around all of the people who were here with him. 'This sure will be a nice Christmas,' he thought as he was excited to have so many of his friends come back.

A few days later, Dexter was at work, wondering what he should do for Luna. He thought about getting a gift card for a resturant, but he worried that they might not have the same ones over in Europe. Still, he couldn't think of anything better to do, as he didn't want to buy make up, and pick out something she didn't like. With it being Christmas Eve, he had to go out to the store, in his winter coat, and pretend as though he was just another shopper. After he bought her card, he went back to the break room, to eat his lunch on his half hour break. Suddenly, one of the other employees came in with a telephone.

"Dexter! It's for you!" the blonde haired woman replied. Dexter got up and took the phone from her. "Hello?" he asked. It was Luna and she sounded excited. "Dexter! You're never going to believe it! Crow and Jack are coming over for Christmas!" Dexter smiled. "Hey that's great," he replied, "So we'll have two more guests to be with!" Luna smiled. "Yeah I know and I was thinking we could get them a gift. After all, with Jack's temper, he'll explode if he doesn't get something." Dexter was a little upset by this. They were coming at the very last minute and they were expecting a gift? On Christmas Eve none the less? Dexter tried to encourage her to say "no."

"Well...the only thing is that we don't have much time," he replied, "So I don't know if there's something we could get them." Luna agreed. "I know. I think it's stupid as well, but Yusei said that he was going to get Jack a gift card to that coffee shop he likes. Yusei even said that he apologized for coming over on Christmas Eve, because I guess they close down really early. I thought that we could get him something instead, as well as Crow." Dexter knew that he wasn't going to win the battle and decided to think of a plan.

"I could buy them a gift card to Yuper's," he replied, "It would be easy and I know they're still open." Luna smiled. "That's a great idea Dexter. Plus, they're all over the country, so you don't have to worry about them not being able to use it." Dexter's mind instantly thought of the restaurant gift card he bought for Luna. Luna then told him her plan. "When I come pick you up, we can buy it together. I'll hold onto them and then give it to them tomorrow. Sound good?" Dexter nodded. "Sounds good to me," he replied and they happily hung up.

Afterwards, Dexter looked into his black wallet. There weren't a ton of high dollar bills in it and he worried Luna will look at him as a cheapskate when they bought the gift cards. Still, at a minimum wage job, what could he expect? He then went back to the break room and finally got to eat his lunch.

Later, after Dexter had punched out and gotten his jacket on, he found Luna waiting by the Guest Service area for him. He smiled as he approached her. "Leo's waiting in the car," she informed him, "Now lets get a couple of gift cards and we're on our way." They quickly got in line and took two of them off of a nearby shelf. As they were about to ring up, the kind, older woman asked how much they needed on them. Dexter took out two bills.

"$10," he replied. Suddenly, two $20 bills came on top of them. "Make it $30 for each," Luna replied as Dexter looked up at her. She gave him a smile and wink as the cashier finished the transaction. Dexter looked stunned at Luna for a moment, before smiling. As they got the receipt, Luna took the cards with her, and put them in her purse. They then headed for the door.

"Thanks so much Luna. That was a really big help." Luna shrugged. "It was no problem Dexter. Now lets take you home and get you dressed." They hopped in car waiting for them, where Leo scooted over to make room. "Took you guys long enough," he relied as Luna and Dexter took a seat. "It was very busy in there," Dexter replied, "Sorry we're late Leo." Leo waved his hand. "No prob Dex. Now lets get home. I'm starving!"

They all rode home, where Dexter put on a nice dress pants, shoes, and shirt. Leo and Luna got ready as well, with Leo in a nice dress pants and shirt as well. They waited in the living room, as Luna came out. "How do I look?" she asked. Leo and Dexter's jaws dropped. She was wearing a red strapped dress, with sequins at the bottom. Luna brushed her hair back with her hand and smiled. "You look great," Leo replied. He looked over to see Dexter's blushing face. The he gave him a nudge.

"Mmm. What?" he asked as he looked at Leo. Leo gestured towards his sister and Dexter looked back at her. "Yeah. You look great," he replied. Luna stepped close. "So do you two," she replied as she smiled at the two men in front of her. "Now lets go and see how everyone else looks."

Across town, Yusei was struggling to get himself together. "Yusei!" Akiza called from downstairs. Yusei panicked as he tried desperately to find a tie that matched. His dress shirt wasn't fully buttoned and he forgot to put on deodorant and cologne. Yusei heard her footsteps, with a high heel on each foot. Like a scared child, Yusei quickly thought of a plan. "Yusei! Yusei!" Akiza called. She opened the bedroom door slowly, making sure he wasn't naked. Akiza fully opened the door and looked around. "Yusei?" she asked. She stood in the doorway, examining the other rooms. They were all dark, so he had to be in here.

"Yusei?" she called. At that moment, Akiza heard a couch. "Ah! Stupid cough!" Yusei shouted. Akiza turned to the closet. She walked up to it and opened it. Yusei was inside and he forced himself to smile, as a shirt was caught in his hair. Akiza leaned back and folded her arms. "So...I'm all set and ready to go and yet you're still a mess." Yusei tried to soften his eyebrows. "I'm sorry?" he asked and Akiza chuckled. "Come on," she replied as she pulled his undershirt, "Lets get you ready." Five minutes later, Yusei looked a lot better than before. Akiza tied a tie for him, as he still didn't know how to do it. As Akiza tightened it, Akiza smiled. "There. Now you look good." Yusei leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "Thanks Akiza." She smiled and gave him a kiss back.

A few hours later, everyone walked into Martha's house, hungry and ready to eat. "It'll still be about half an hour," Martha informed them and everyone groaned. They took seats in the living room and got to get to talking. Yusei sat next to Akiza, Jack sat next to Carly, and so on with all the couples. Crow had broken up with his boyfriend and sat alone next to Leo.

Most of the conversation focused on how Jack and Crow were doing. As usual, they had varying ways of presenting. Crow was humble and happy for his accomplishments, saying that he was happy to help improve in certain areas of his game. Jack instantly jumped on this point, saying that he had no flaws. Soon, the two started bickering and, as much as everyone was annoyed by this, they actually found it rather amusing. It had been a long time since the last Jack and Crow fight and the two continued to argue and point a finger at one another. The two didn't stop, until Martha said the food was ready, and they should say grace.

They all found their way back to their seats and Yusei sat down next to Akiza. She already eaten some of her food and Yusei spotted some BBQ sauce on her napkin. "So Akiza," Yusei said confidently, "Did you get a chance to try one of my famous meatballs?" Akiza turned to him. "No," she replied and went back to eating. Yusei pointed to her napkin. "But you have some BBQ sauce on your napkin." Akiza didn't look up.

"Yeah. There was some sauce that got on the table, so I decided to wipe it up with my napkin." Yusei frowned. "Well...are you going to try some when you go for seconds?" Akiza tilted her head. "I don't know," she replied, "I'm getting pretty full." Yusei had to control himself, as he didn't want to tip over the tray of food in his lap. "But come on Akiza! They're famous and delicious! Not to mention they were made by me." Akiza again, didn't look up at him, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yusei," she said as she scooped up some baked beans, "We all know you didn't make them yourself." She took a bite of food and Yusei's face wreaked of guilt, as she continued. "You just went to the store, got some frozen meatballs, put them in a crock pot, put some bottled BBQ sauce on them, and then said you made them yourself, hoping people wouldn't taste the difference. Which sounds very much like a TV ad that has been airing the past few weeks." Yusei slumped over, knowing Akiza had beaten him.

"But you're going to try them? Right?" he asked. Akiza shrugged. "Uhhh...I think I'll get some carrot sticks and be done with that." Yusei put his face in his hand as Akiza got up. "I got beaten by carrot sticks," Yusei mumbled to himself.

Later, after they had all finished eating, Martha offered for them to play a board game together. "How should we divide the teams?" Luna asked. "Yusei and Akiza," almost all of them replied at the same time, expect for the names they said. Yusei and Akiza looked at one another. "Why do we have to be together?" Yusei asked as he pointed at himself. Jack rolled his eyes. "Because you two were so oblivious of your feelings for each other for so long," he replied, "That it's only right you spend as much time together as possible." Yusei and Akiza blushed as they looked at one another. They were thankful for Jack's words and shared a kiss on the lips.

Surprisingly enough, spending time together as a couple must have helped. Every couple won a game, except for Leo and Crow, who were both single. "Come on Leo! How could you not tell that was an ice cream cone?" Leo shrugged. "You made it look like a kid with a Birthday hat on," he replied. Crow just face palmed. "Can we play another game?" he asked.

"Sure thing," Akiza replied, as Yusei and herself had done well in all of the rounds. "How about this one?" she asked as she held it up. Everyone thought it sounded like fun and they started playing. Of course, Jack and Crow got into another argument. At least this time, it was over the game, and not who was the better duelist.

"A chair is not a weapon!" Crow shouted, "A weapon is an actual thing you can use to hurt someone." Jack stood tall and folded his arms. "A chair is a weapon," he replied, "They use it in wrestling." Crow rolled his eyes. "That's all fake!" he replied, "It's clearly staged!" He then dangled his arm like it was injured. "Oh! My arm got hurt by something that was mysteriously hiding underneath the ring. Oh yeah and then he cheated with his tag team partner, yet we were never disqualified. Oh this is so real!" Jack frowned. "There are too weapons," he replied, "For example, I have one on me right now." Everyone gasped and Yusei stood up.

"Jack! If you brought a weapon in here, you'd better get rid of it!" Yusei shouted, as he hated weapons. Leo was about to follow Yusei's lead, but Jack beat him to it. "No you idiot! It can be a _personal weapon." _Yusei stared at him and Crow instantly got what he was talking about. He then pointed in a direction of his body.

"You're sick!" Yusei replied and sat back down next to Akiza. "Come,on," Luna replied, "Lets just count it and let it go. Besides, Jack's not even in the lead." Leo looked at his twin. "So who's in the lead? Is it Yusei?" Luna shook her head. "No. He's tied for last place." Akiza turned to him and smiled. "It's because he comes up with the easiest answers ever and someone else always has it," she replied as Yusei looked upset. She leaned over and gave him a sympathetic kiss.

"No. The person who's in first is..." She looked to her left. "Dexter." Dexter was stunned. "Me?" he asked and Luna nodded. "Yep and we have just one more round to go. So lets get started." She rolled the dice and they played the last round. Yusei finished in last, while Dexter won. They played a few more rounds with someone different winning each time. Akiza won the last round and Yusei slumped over, as he finished near or in last every time. "I don't like this game," he muttered.

Later, they all said goodbye to one another, promising to meet at the Izinski's tomorrow, which was going to soon turn into today. Dexter rode home with Leo and Luna. He would sleep in the clothes he wore underneath his dress shirt along with his dress pants. He yawned as the car drove home. Instead of leaning on Luna, Dexter tried to lean on the other side of the seat. He wiggled as it wasn't a very comfortable sleeping position. "You want to lean on my shoulder?" Luna offered as she saw him uncomfortable with his position. He looked at her. "Are you sure?" he asked. Luna just smiled. "Sure! Come on. It's okay." Dexter looked stunned, before leaning on her and closing his eyes. He smiled as he leaned on her. "Thanks Luna," he replied and found this position to be a lot more relaxing.

When they arrived back, Luna and Leo awoke Dexter, to tell him they had arrived. They took the elevator up and then opened the door. "Lets just brush our teeth and go to bed," Leo said as he was tired as well. Dexter decided to sleep on the couch and, once he brushed his teeth in the second bathroom, went downstairs to the couch. He got into one of the cushions on the end and then pulled the recliner back. Before he could put his eye glasses into his case, he noticed someone walk in front of him.

"Luna," he said as she stood in her loose fitting nightgown. It was pink and very loose, as you couldn't even see Luna's chest sticking out of it. She smiled at him, as he laid back. "Is there something you need?" he asked and Luna set a glass of water on the end table. "Here," she replied and set it down next to him, "I know you like water nearby when you sleep." Dexter smiled. "Thanks," he replied and got more comfortable in his seat. "Need anything else?" Luna asked. Dexter shook his head. "No. I should be good." Luna smiled and walked to behind the end table. "You might need one more thing," she replied and leaned forward. Her lips met his and Dexter was surprised. He then closed his eyes and they relaxed, as the clock stuck midnight. When they were done, Luna, leaned back.

"Merry Christmas Dexter," she said and Dexter smiled. "Merry Christmas." Luna then walked away, a smile on her face.

Everyone got up the next morning, much later than if they were little kids. Yusei and Akiza decided to exchange gifts that her house, as usual, with most of the other following suit. However, Leo, Luna, and Dexter decided to exchange before they went over to Akiza's house.

"Oh wow! A gift card to the dueling shop downtown?" Leo asked as he looked at it, "Thanks Dexter! I'll gladly use this." Dexter smiled, but then blushed as he turned to Luna. She had already gotten him an order for a tailor made suit, so that he could look extra nice for next year. Still, Dexter knew it wasn't a very expensive gift and he looked away as Luna opened the envelope.

"Oh Dexter! I love this restaurant." She leaned over and gave him a kiss. Dexter rubbed where here lips had been. "You sure it's all right? Do they even have it over in Europe?" Luna smiled. "If not, then it's an excuse for us to go out this Summer." Dexter blushed. "Yeah, but...Leo and you should be able to go out sometime together." He turned to Leo. "Right?" Leo shrugged. "We ate together lots of times growing up, so I wouldn't mind if you guys went out together." Leo checked his watch. "Well...we'd better get going," he replied, "Otherwise everyone else will be stuck waiting to eat. Plus, I'm starving." They had only had scrambled eggs a few hours ago, but Leo was hungry already.

At the Izinski's, Yusei was already there, and he was exchanging gifts with Akiza. She smiled as Yusei handed her an envelope. She gasped when she opened it. "Yusei...it's..." She looked at it. "A bunch of Euros." Yusei smiled. "I figured that you can't go to school for food anymore, so I had the bank convert my dollar bills to Euros. That way, you can buy whatever you need, besides just food." Akiza blushed as she looked at the bills in front of her. They nearly fell out of her lap, as she gave Yusei a hug and a kiss. "Thank you Yusei."

Her parents and Martha came in a little while later, with a camera in hand. Akiza hadn't really gotten to see any pictures that they had taken since the two of them had stated dating. "Hey Martha, can I see..." The doorbell rang just as Akiza was about to ask her question. "I'll get it!" Martha cried and took the camera with her. Jack, Crow, and Carly had come together and Jack had a bunch of boxes with him. "I brought presents for everybody," Jack shouted as he came inside. Akiza knew that Martha was going to be busy with camera all day, so she probably wouldn't have time to check out the pictures she took.

As Jack brought the presents inside, the twins and Dexter arrived as well. They all got seated together, just like they did yesterday. Jack immediately ordered that they open gifts, to help make more room by the tree. Everyone decided that it was a good idea and followed Jack's orders. The three older adults left them alone and waited until later to see how everything was going. At first, Crow was surprised to get the largest gift, and he was even more surprised when he found out that it was all new uniforms for his team. Jack had gotten every sponsor down and there were two more for his teammates as well. "Wow! Thanks Jack!" Crow replied.

Luna and Dexter both got a check, to help them with school, and Leo got some money to help him with his dueling career. With everyone getting so much, Yusei and Akiza were excited to see what Jack had in store for them. But first, Jack wanted to give Carly her gift. Carly was moved to tears, when it was a diamond necklace. Jack gently tied it around her neck and they shared a kiss. Everyone "awed" as Jack and Carl sat down, still emotional from the gesture. "Okay Yusei. Akiza and you are the last to go." Yusei hoped that meant saving the best for last. He had a small box and ripped the paper off.

Yusei lifted the box and stared at it. "Brown...gloves?" he asked as he picked them up out of the box, "Thanks, but why?" Jack smiled. "I notice you never wear your old ones anymore, so I figured that you had been stupid and lost them. That's what made me buy these new ones." Yusei just stared at his gift. He didn't wear gloves, unless it was cold outside, because he was so used to having them off, even when Akiza was away. Why? Because he always anticipated holding Akiza's hand, whenever they would meet up. Holding her hand as they walked downtown, watching a movie, or just being romantic with one another was fantastic. After all, it was their first romantic gesture. Yusei had held onto her hand as he confessed that night now many years ago. He smiled just thinking about it and how much they had grown as a couple. Remembering the moment made him forget the fact that Jack had screwed him over, in comparison to everyone else. That thought instantly made himself wonder what Akiza got, and he leaned over to take a look.

"Wow! An envelope!" Akiza said as she looked at it. She then opened the back and gasped when she saw what was inside. "A gift card?" she asked and her cheeks turned pink, "Thank you, but it's a little..." Yusei leaned over and saw where it was to. Not only did his face turn red, but his ears did too. In fact, you might have heard a faint train whistle coming out of his ears as well.

"A lingerie store?" Yusei shouted as he stood up, "And $100 worth?" Akiza gasped. "Oh wow! There's even more in here." Yusei turned to her. "What?" he asked and he leaned over her shoulder. "Lets count them," Akiza suggested, "1...2...3...4...5." Yusei and Akiza's jaws dropped. "$500 in lingerie!?" Yusei shouted. Jack smirked. "First of all, Akiza has get them custom fitted." He tilted his head. "If you know what I mean." Yusei growled and made a fist.

"Secondly, you should be thanking me Yusei. Wouldn't it be fun to see Akiza in something a little sexy." Yusei looked stunned for a moment. "Huh?" he asked and suddenly his mind filled with inappropriate thoughts. "Maybe you two would like to...you know. Especially since you've been dating all these years." Jack's words helped Yusei snap out of his daydream. "Look at my hand," Yusei shouted, "Does it have a ring or band on it? No! So Akiza and I are not doing that!" Jack shrugged.

"Your loss," he replied. Yusei looked towards the ceiling. "I can't believe I got these crappy gloves and everyone else gets something great! Especially $500 in lingerie!" Jack sipped some coffee. "Now hold on. Those are some fine, quality gloves." Yusei rolled his eyes. "Oh really Jack? I've seen these gloves before and they were really cheap. It looks like you went to the dollar section and picked out a brown pair of these." Jack frowned. "You would never see the great Jack Atlas in a dollar section. So, why would I have got them from there?" Yusei couldn't take it anymore. He sat back down and put his arms around Akiza's. Now worried that Jack only saw her as a sex object, especially with the gift he got her. Jack smiled and leaned up, "Now what gifts do you all have to offer for the King?" Yusei, still being upset over what Jack had bought for both him and Akiza, forcefully handed him his gift. "Here's one of them," he replied. Luna stood up and smiled. "Oh yeah!" she replied and took out two cards, "Here's one for both Crow and Jack." Crow decided to wait until Jack had opened his first gift.

"A gift card to the coffee shop?" Jack asked, "Now there's a place the great Jack Atlas would be." Yusei apologized, as he couldn't figure something out for Crow. "That's okay," he replied, "Just being here's good enough for me." He then opened the card Luna gave him. "A Yuper's gift card?" Crow asked, "I could definitely use that." Jack then made a loud noise.

"Ha!" he laughed, "A Yuper's gift card?! Is this some kind of joke? You would never catch me in that store." Everyone watched as Jack threw the card behind his back and it landed far away from him. Luna watched him throw it as well. She turned and looked as Dexter hanged his head. It was his idea after all and he felt bad that Jack had rejected the gift. "I'm going to bathroom," Dexter muttered under his breath. He didn't blame Jack for not wanting it, but did he have to reject it right in his face? Luna watched as Dexter left the room and no one else seemed to notice. She knew he wasn't just going to the bathroom for bodily functions. She knew there was something more. Luna quickly turned her head towards Jack.

"How could you do that Jack?" Luna asked from across the room and down the line of chairs. Jack turned to her. "What are talking about? I'm only stating the truth." Luna's face turned angry. "That was a gift and the least you could have said was 'Thank You' to the people who gave it to you." Jack stood up. "Why should I say thank you for a gift I don't want." Luna stood up and walked towards her.

As much as Jack didn't want to admit it, Luna did scare him a little bit. He hadn't spoken to her face to face since he left New Domino City and he was a little intimidated by her height, as she was very tall. "Even if you don't like it, you should still accept it," she replied and walked right up to his face. Jack frowned. "What about Yusei? You just saw the tantrum over him getting gloves!" Luna frowned. "Yes, but he at least said 'Thank you' to you. Which is better than what you did. You just threw the card across the room. Do you even know how much it is for?" Jack shrugged. "Why should it matter? If I'm never going to use, then it's worthless." Luna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jack was just so arrogant and his head had gotten too big. She put her hands on her hips. "Look. I was the one who helped buy that for you and it really hurts my feelings when you do something this stupid Jack. At the very least, accept the gift, and then you can do whatever you want with it later on. However, you instantly got rid of it, as though the person who gave it to you wasn't even there. Heck, we were thinking that we shouldn't get you a gift at all!" Jack's eyes narrowed. "You not getting me a gift? Don't make me laugh! You know the King deserves presents on Christmas!" Luna almost started laughing from how terribly inconsiderate and stupid Jack was sounding and it was getting worse the more he talked.

"Are you kidding me Jack? You showed up unannounced until last night. Do you how hard it is to get a gift at the very last minute? Not to mention what you did with that gift once you got it? You know, if this is the way you're going to act when you receive gifts, especially when the person who gave it to you is in the room, then you don't deserve any more of them." Luna the turned around and headed for the door. If the carpet had been turned into a harder surface, the stomping noise Luna was making would have echoed through the room. She stormed off and Jack sat back down, feeling as though he won the argument. "Ahh," he sighed, "It's good to be right." There was then an awkward silence in the room.

Back in the bathroom, Dexter leaned against the sink, as he sat on the toilet. It was the one place where he knew that Jack couldn't insult his gift anymore. Even though it was technically from Luna and himself, Dexter put full blame on himself for Jack not liking it. As he sat back up, he heard a knock on the door. "Dexter?" Luna asked and she slightly opened the door. Luna had forgotten that Dexter said he had to used to the bathroom and, no joke, he was. She quickly closed the door again.

"I'm so sorry Dexter," she replied and Dexter quickly got dressed. "I promise I didn't see anything," she assured him. "Nah. It's okay," he replied and put his pants back up. "You can come in," he replied and flushed the toilet, "Everything's fine." Luna peaked an eye inside, before opening the door to come in. When she got inside, she closed the door as tightly as she could, not wanting anyone else to interrupt their conversation.

Dexter had obviously been crying, but Luna didn't blame him. Seeing a gift that you bought for someone being tossed away was awfully mean. Luna hugged him and tried to speak softly to him. "It's okay Dexter," she replied, "Everything's all right." Dexter shook his head. "No. Jack's right. I should have thought of something he would like rather than a crappy gift card." Luna frowned. "Dexter. It's a great gift. You could have gotten him nothing at all. But the fact that we went out and got him a gift is something to be proud of. After all, it's the thought that counts Dexter." Dexter sighed. "Yeah you're probably right. Of course, I don't know if I'll be able to look at him with the way he just threw it away like that."

"Don't worry about it," Luna replied, "I told Jack off, so there's nothing to be upset about." Luna put hands on Dexter's cheeks and felt the stubble hairs. Dexter didn't like his facial hair and he tried to shave away as much as he could, especially with having hair coming from his hair all the way to his mouth. Luna wouldn't have minded if he had left it all go, but what worried her was that he was still not smiling. "Dexter, what's wrong?" she asked. Dexter looked away. "Well...it's no surprise that you had to tell Jack off," he replied. Luna was baffled. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Dexter asked, "The person wearing the pants in our relationship, who defends us when we're together, is you. How can you love me when it's obvious that, if there's ever a serious situation where we had to defend ourselves, you'd be the one to protect, not only yourself, but me as well. Isn't that suppose to be a man's job?" Luna smiled.

"Dexter are you upset, because I'm having to the the one who sticks up for you?" Dexter nodded. "Dexter. It's okay. I don't mind having to stick up for you. Look at what might have happened if I didn't. Those bullies would have kept picking on you all throughout of high school. Plus, I would have had guys swooning all over me, even when we've gone out on dates. That wouldn't have been fun right?" He thought about it for a moment. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Luna nodded.

"Not to mention the fact that, growing up, Leo always thought that I was way too serious and worried about stuff. But...I don't mind that, especially when it comes to making sure that you're happy Dexter. You know...one of the reasons why I love you, is that I hate seeing you sad. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I like getting to defend you. It helps make sure that you're happy, not to mention seeing the stunned look on the guy's faces when I do. Plus..." Luna put a finger in the air. "Wait right here." Luna quickly ran out and she quickly ran back to the front door. She grabbed her purse and ran back to Dexter. After shutting the door, Luna pulled something out of her purse.

"I've got this. It's pepper spray and I've taken a couple of women's self-defense classes. With Leo being with me less and less, I've learned how to defend myself. So don't worry Dexter. If someone tries to attack me or the both of us, I'm ready." Dexter leaned back a little bit. "Great. Just...don't spray that at me." Luna laughed. "Don't worry. I won't," she replied and put it back in her purse. "Now, why don't we go back and re-join the others. If Jack says anything, I've got your back Dexter." Dexter went up and hugged her. "Don't worry Luna. I'll still stick up for you if something happens. I could never forgive myself if someone tried to hurt you." Luna smiled. "All right, but just in case..." She pulled out her spray once more and winked at him. Dexter managed to laugh. "I love you Luna." Luna smiled. "I love you too." They shared a smile and hugged each other for one more moment. The two of them laughed, as they started talking, and walking out of the bathroom.

"About time!" Yusei shouted as he ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. "How long was I in there?" Dexter asked. Luna checked her watch. "About 15 minutes all together." Dexter shrugged. "Well...I'm sure Yusei could have waited a few more minutes." In the bathroom, Yusei gave a long sigh of relief. "Finally, I can sit down and relax." Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Yusei, can you get done really quick? I need to use the bathroom," Akiza said in a gentle, soft tone. Yusei looked at the ceiling.

"No!" he shouted.

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay, but I hope you enjoyed the Chapter. Now the real fun begins, starting next Chapter when a few more old faces arrive! **


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49!  
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**tom . zhu . 509: Glad you got a laugh!**

**Guest (Chapter 8): I was going for the fact that, when you get upset, you can go overboard. Yusei getting upset made him get so angry that he took his shirt off. I am sorry you didn't like that part of the Chapter.  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: Yeah the holidays are fun, because it gives you the chance to be a kid again.**

**My heart goes out to the children and staff of the CT school shooting. May they RIP.  
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Even though Leo and Luna had to leave a week earlier than Akiza, they were still happy to be going back, especially for Leo. The previous Fall, Leo was easily able to qualify for the minor league of the European Turbo Dueling League. When they all said goodbye, Yusei and Akiza offered him some encouragement. "Go out and win some duels for us," they said as they waited at the airport. Leo grinned. "Oh I will," he replied, "And I'll be sure to show them my trademark." He made a peace sign with his right hand. Yusei smiled at the gesture.

"I'm really proud of you Leo, standing up against violence in the world," Yusei replied. Leo nodded. "Thanks Yusei, but Luna and I learned about it growing up with you two as our role models." Yusei and Akiza blushed. "Oh...we don't know if we were really models," Akiza replied, but Luna quickly responded. "No! It's true! Leo and I really looked up to you. You guys were kind, caring, compassionate, and so many other things. You showed us to never give up and always try your best. You two were much better parents that our real ones ever were." Akiza blushed.

"Well...we're very honored," Akiza replied. They then heard a woman on a microphone calling for their plane. "Well...we'd better get going," Luna replied as she took some of her things from their luggage. She leaned over and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "I'll be sure to check in every now and again," she replied and they all waved goodbye.

A few months later, the season was about to start for Leo. He went to the first event, a few miles away from his house. When he got there, other duelists were waiting at the the track to get ready. "Hey Leo! Glad to see ya again!" one of the duelists replied as he shook Leo's hand. Leo went around and greeted some of the duelists that he had met at qualifying and also by training in the Summer Leagues. He then recognized an unfamiliar face and decided to introduce himself. He went up the the curly, black haired man, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I've never met you before," Leo replied as the man looked up, "I'm Leo." The man stood tall and shook his hand. "Hey! Good to meet you. My name's Dan and I'm from Ireland." Leo could tell that, especially with his thick accent. "Where are you from?" Dan asked. "I'm from New Domino City," Leo replied. Dan raised his eyebrows. "New Domino City? I heard rumors for a event coming back there next year." Leo looked surprised. "Really? How do you know?"

"I've got a couple of friends from across the pond that follow the Pro League over there. They say that they have renovated the stadium and it has been a while since they've visited there. So that's what I've been hearing, but nothings been confirmed." Leo was hopeful that Dan was right. It would be great if the Pro League over there started making regular trips back to the New Domino City. It would be a nice homecoming event and it meant he could duel in front of all of his friends. "Sounds great," Leo replied, "I hope you're right."

Later that night, Leo called Yusei over a video chat. "So I really hope Dan's right," Leo replied, "It'd be so cool if you guys could come and see me duel." Yusei smiled. "That would be nice," he replied, "Although I haven't really heard anything just yet." Leo nodded. "I know, but just keep you eyes and ears open to it." Yusei smiled and they talked a little bit more, with Luna popping in for a little bit. School was going good for her, although she had a English class that was a pain in the neck when it came to homework. Still, Yusei was happy to know that they were doing okay. He informed them that Akiza was doing well as well and she was on pace to finish her internship early, which could mean mentoring other students next semester. They all said goodbye and good luck.

Sure enough, in May, there was an announcement that New Domino City would be put back onto the Professional Turbo Dueling League Circuit. The time and date were yet to be announced, but there was no doubt that they were coming back. Jack and Crow were also excited as it brought much needed excitement and energy back to New Domino City. Also, over the past couple of months, Leo had done very well in the solo riding minor League. He had captured his first win, the week before Easter.

"This is great!" Leo said as he talked back to Yusei, "I get a week off and more time to celebrate." Yusei smiled. "Okay Leo, but don't go overboard with it." Leo grinned. "Don't worry Yus. Luna's all over me on that. Plus, I got to give my trademark peace sign in Victory Lane. All the photographers kept wondering why I was giving a two sign, when it was my first victory and I came in first. It was so funny!" Yusei laughed. "Well, did you explain to them what it meant?" Leo nodded. "I even got a small article about it on the League's website. Of course, I don't know how many people are going to read it." Yusei shrugged.

"Well, look at it this way. At least you're getting your name out there. Plus, if you turn pro and duel over here, you might get more coverage. Then, you can promote your 'Don't use your fist. Use a disk,' slogan." Leo grinned as all the pictures helped him work on his smiling for pictures. "Don't worry Yusei. I'll be sure to promote it!" Yusei laughed and they hanged up.

When Akiza came back, Yusei was all grins as he hugged her at the airport. "Just one more year and you'll be a fully licensed doctor!" Akiza giggled at Yusei's tight hug. "Thank you Yusei, but it's all thanks to you." Yusei smiled. "Well...I can't take all the credit. Your parents were here to support you as well." Yusei stepped aside and let Akiza run up to her parents. He smiled as he watched her talk with them and get caught up on all the latest news. When she was finished, she went back to Yusei's side, and they walked hand in hand.

"So any big plans for the Summer?" Akiza asked, "Or just the same old same old?" Yusei shrugged. "Same old," he replied, "But if I get to spend it with you, then that's all that matters." They both laughed as they headed out on what was going to be a steaming hot day. Luckily, Akiza's mother had some lemonade in the fridge for the two of them to drink, once they got to the Izinski's. As Akiza sat with Yusei and talked about being in a real live hospital, she tried to avoid some of the accidental things that she ran into while being at the hospital. She was a little surprised when Yusei suddenly got defensive, when she talked about having to deal with a patient.

"So this one older guy comes in and he was obviously as horny as could be," Akiza said as Yusei's eyes narrowed, "He wouldn't stop staring at my chest the whole time we were doing a couple tests on him. Plus, he told me his was single." Yusei stood up. "How many times did this happen?" he asked, almost in a shouting voice. Akiza was taken aback by his response. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"How many times have you had to deal with guys, who are constantly wanting to be your girlfriend, at the hospital?" he asked as he pointed at her, "How many times have the complimented your personality and all that stuff?" Akiza shrugged. "I think just about every guy has talked about how nice I am, no matter their age." Yusei's eyes widened. He had never really thought about it, but with Akiza seeing a lot of patients over the course of the day, there was no telling how many of them would be wanting her to be their's. He wasn't even talking about her looks, because there were guys who would love her kind, friendly, and helpful attitude.

"Couldn't you ask for only female patients?" Yusei asked. Akiza shook her head. "Who I get is who I get," she replied, "I don't make the schedule. Besides, then I could have girls hitting on me." Yusei ground his teeth together. He didn't want other people wanting at his girl. He wanted to be the only one who got to be with her. He sat back down and folded his arms. "Yusei, it's okay. I understand what you're thinking. You want me all to yourself and you want no one else to be able to be with me." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Just be okay with it. All right? You're the only one I love and I would never leave or abandon you. No matter what." Yusei got himself to smile at her words.

"All right Akiza. I trust that you love me and only me." They leaned forward and kissed on the lips. They smiled and hugged each other as they enjoyed each other's company, which they hadn't experienced for such a long time.

A couple weeks later, Luna flew solo back to New Domino City. Leo was traveling over Europe, so he wasn't able to fly with her. He was extra cautious the night before she left, worrying about her and making sure that she was prepared for the long flight back. Luna assured him that she would be fine flying solo and that her friends would be waiting for her at the airport. Leo sighed and admitted he just wanted his sister to be safe. Luna thanked him for it and they shared a hug. As Luna assured him, the flight back home went without a hitch. Luna was greeted by everyone at the airport and, as they rode home, Luna had some exciting news for them.

"I know that you guys have learned about the New Domino City hosting a Turbo Dueling League event," she began, "But you probably didn't hear that they're going to do some testing at the track, to make sure that everything works smoothly and the facilities are up to date." Yusei shrugged. "So what's your point?" Luna giggled. "Well, there's also going to be a big party, with some of the top duelists trying to promote the event. They also wanted some local people to help out as well and one of them is Leo!" Everyone in the car smiled.

"So that means that Leo's attending the party and he can invite as many friends as he would like. On his behalf, I was wondering if you'd all like to come?" Everyone nodded. "That sounds fun," Akiza replied, "The last party we went to was before the WRGP." Yusei nodded. "Right, but I was too distracted the whole time to enjoy it." He put his arms around Akiza. "But don't worry. This time, I'll be sure to be enjoying it a whole lot more." Akiza giggled and gave him a kiss.

Luna smiled as she turned to her boyfriend. "Now you'll be able to get that custom tailored suit I got you for Christmas." Dexter nodded. "What will you be wearing?" he asked. Luna giggled. "I haven't looked yet, but I do have something in mind." Dexter tilted his head. "What is it?" Luna giggled again. "I'm not going to tell you," she replied, but she knew that he would definitely enjoy it.

About a month later, the party was about to begin. Teams and duelists from around the country flew in to New Domino City, to help promote the event. It was going to be hosted at a large venue near the track. Leo was excited as he was going to give a brief speech at the event. It wasn't long or super important, but he was excited none the less. As Akiza got dressed, she knew what she was going to wear on the outside, but she hadn't gotten something to wear underneath. She had just showered and was picking out a bra to wear.

"This one looks like it's getting kind of worn," she said as she examined it, "But I think I can wear it one more time, before I can toss it out." She put it on and connected the rectangular back. There was a strap for each side of the rectangle, which helped give Akiza extra support. Of course, when your chest is multiple times bigger than most women, you need the extra support.

In Yusei's apartment, he was sure that he was getting set and ready, so that Akiza wouldn't have to help him out. Akiza walked over, as Yusei examined himself in the mirror. "Wow! You look great!" Akiza started as he adjusted his tie, "And look at this! A bow tie? Is Yusei getting some ideas from Dexter?" Yusei had a small, red bow tie. "This doesn't make me look dorky does it?" Akiza shook her head. "No. The big, giant ones are the more dorky kind. This one's small and not that big. Now, how do I look?" Yusei rolled his eyes.

"You know you look great as always," he replied as he wrapped her in a hug. They both smiled and Yusei planted a kiss on her cheek, away from her lipstick. "Come on, lets see how everyone else is doing." They went across the hallway and knocked on the door. "Hey guys," Leo said as he answered the door, "Luna's almost ready."

In her room, Luna was getting the last few things ready for the night. Dexter waited by the closed door, waiting for her quietly. "You look great," he replied as Luna turned back around. She was wearing a dark maroon colored dress. The one thing Dexter noticed was the the bottom half was kind of unique. It was cut into long straps, like a piece of paper right after it's been shredded. "Um...but may I ask why you picked out a bottom like that?" He was a bit worried that Luna might be upset with his question, but she smiled at him and looked happy.

"I'm glad you asked," she replied, "In fact, that's what I was just about you about." She walked up to him. "Did you see anything?" she asked and Dexter shook his head. "No. I didn't see anything." Luna smiled and then stepped back. This time, she walked with longer strides and, as she did, her legs moved through the straps, and showed off her bare legs. Luckily, the dress made sure that the most important part was still hidden. "Do you anything different now?" Dexter nodded and Luna chuckled. "I'll only walk like that when we're alone," Luna replied with a wink. Dexter blushed and she stuck out her arm. "Come on. The others are waiting for us." Dexter wrapped his arm around hers and they made their way out to the front door. After everyone greeted one another, they all headed out to the party.

It was a warm evening and it was perfect for walking conditions. Sure enough, the party was not hard to find and there was entrance for people who arrived by limo and people who were walking. Yusei and Akiza were arm in arm, as they waited in line at the walking entrance, with the others behind them. When it was their turn, the cameras started to flash and they both waved awkwardly. Nether one cared for the attention and it was only going to get worse, as they spotted a bunch of reporters in a small area waiting for them. They walked over and one of them asked a question for Yusei.

"Yusei. This is your first Turbo Dueling Event since you defeated ZONE," the male reporter started, "Do you have any plans on Turbo Dueling in any league anytime soon?" Akiza looked at Yusei and she felt both arms wrap around her, which pulled her just a tiny bit closer to her. "No," he replied, "I have offically retired from Turbo Dueling." After he spoke, a bunch of cameras flashed on them. Yusei smiled confidently, as he turned to Akiza with a smile. She already knew that Yusei had no interest in joining a league, but with a gossipy public wanting answers, having her closer to him made it easier to handle the question. Another reporter spoke up.

"Why have you decided to retire?" the female reporter asked. Yusei turned from the camera and faced Akiza. She instantly worried that the blame would be put on her, but she was surprised by Yusei's answer. "Because I have learned that there is much more important things in life than dueling or my duel runner. I realized this a number of years ago and I am deeply sorry for it." Akiza instantly knew where this going. "Yusei. You don't have to do this." Yusei looked at her, with a smile on his face. He shook his head as he faced her and not the cameras.

"No Akiza. I want the whole world to know this. I spent a few years of my life so focused on Turbo Dueling and my Duel Runner, that I forgot what is really important in my life and that is family and friends. I didn't spend as much time with them as I should have and I hurt a few them the most. So, I want them and the rest of the world to know just how truly sorry I am. So, Leo, Luna, and most importantly you Akiza, if you can hear my voice, I am truly sorry for pushing time with you away. I was stupid and dumb person at the time. I put a stupid hunk of metal in favor of you guys, when I should have been a better friend and role model. I'm sorry and I promise to never let anything get in the way of spending time with you guys."

A short ways away, as Yusei knew, Leo and Luna heard his voice and looked at one another. They were happy with what Yusei said and were grateful for his words. Back with Yusei and Akiza, the reporters really had no more questions for him, besides a stray about promoting the event. Yusei said that he was happy it was coming back, most notably so that Leo, Jack, and Crow could have a week where they could be at home. Not to mention the fact that it would help many local businesses. The reporters were hoping to talk to him more about Turbo Dueling, but since Yusei pretty much put a stake in that topic, they were done. They went inside, still arm in arm. As they did, Akiza felt and heard a small snap from her back. 'One of the strings snapped,' Akiza thought, as it had happened many times before, 'But I've still got three strings for support, so there's nothing to worry about.

After the older couple walked off, they let Leo take over their spot. Luna and Dexter walked behind him, although Dexter knew they were more interested in Luna than him. Luna still made sure to keep him close. "This way, they can't take a photo of me without you in it," she said as they neared the end of the red carpet.

Back inside, Yusei and Akiza looked around. They weren't sure what to do, as they had tables set for dinner, but that was obviously not going on just yet. There was a large stage with a podium on, to help with later festivities. As they looked around clueless, they saw three gentlemen walk up to them. "Oh, it's Team Unicorn," Yusei replied as he nudged Akiza, "Hey you guys." Yusei stuck out his hand and shook each of theirs, while keeping the other firmly around his girlfriend. "Hey Yusei," Jean replied and he looked at the girl next to him, "You know, I don't we ever formally introduced ourselves. And you are?"

"Akiza," she replied and stuck out her hand. Jean leaned his hand in for a shake, but instead of shaking hands, he gently rubbed his fingers on Akiza's. It was something he always did when he met new people. Yusei remembered him doing that to him, back at the WRGP, and it made him very uncomfortable. However, seeing him do that to Akiza made him, not only uncomfortable, but angry. He quickly reached for Akiza's hand and pulled it back. "Don't you dare touch her like that!" he almost shouted as a few people had gathered around them. Everyone stared at Yusei, as he gave them a mean glare back at Jean. Akiza looked up at him and was the only one who was close enough to hear a very deep growl coming from Yusei's throat. Yusei turned to her. "He didn't hurt you. Did he Akiza?" Akiza took a moment to snap out of it.

"No. He didn't," she replied. "Good," he answered back in a serious tone. He turned back to Jean and continued giving him a mean look. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Jean replied as he waved his hands, "I wasn't trying to do that!" Yusei still looked upset and he wrapped his arms even tighter around Akiza. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Jean smiled. "I don't swing that way." Yusei was confused. "What are you talking about?" he repeated. This time he sounded a little less upset and he loosened his grip on Akiza a little bit. Akiza looked slightly up at her inch taller boyfriend. "Team Unicorn is gay," Akiza replied. Yusei looked at her. "They are?"

The entire team started to laugh, along with a few other people. "Wait!" Breo replied, "How did you not know? I mean, Team Unicorn? Did you really think some straight guys would decide to call their team that?" Andre chimed in. "Yeah. Do you really think I would turn down some offers to duel solo if I wasn't getting some..." He looked at his teammates. "Extra benefits?" Yusei looked confused. "I...didn't know that," he replied and the circle of people around them started laughing out loud, along with the team. Akiza just put her fingertips to her forehead and sighed. Yusei may be a great boyfriend, but he was still clueless when it came to people. Yusei quickly got tired of their laughter and turned both Akiza and himself around. "Come on Akiza. Lets go find our table."

Akiza could sense that Yusei was not just upset with embarrassing himself,. He had a tight grip around her waist and he seemed to be looking around as they walked, like there was some kind of threat going on. Maybe Yusei was worried about some guy trying to take Akiza, just like when Akiza told him about patients hitting on her. As they walked, Akiza felt another snap in her back. 'That's the second one,' she thought, but remained silent as they found their table. After Akiza sat down for a moment and took a sip of water, she decided to go to the bathroom and check on her bra. After she informed Yusei, he quickly stood up. "I'm coming with you," he replied firmly and put his arms back around her. They both headed for the restrooms, where there was a sign that instructed them where to go. Yusei only let go of her, once they were at the door.

Akiza went inside and checked on her bra. The right side and lower bottom had snapped, but the left side and top were still good, probably since Akiza used her left hand less than her handiness right. 'As long as one more doesn't snap I'll be fine," Akiza thought as she stepped out of the stall and to the bathroom mirror. She still looked good and stepped out of the restroom itself. She was instantly greeted by Yusei, who led her back to their table, where Leo, Luna, and Dexter were waiting.

"It'll be just a few minutes until dinner," Luna informed them and they were luckily the only people at their table, that was set for 5. They spotted Jack and Crow, who came over to their table to talk. Crow was set in a basic suit, while Jack was in a all white tuxedo. As they talked, a female came up to them. "Hey Sherry," Crow replied as she leaned on him. Sherry was looking at him, as she was in the mood for some man power. "Hey Crow," she replied smoothly, "You're looking well." Crow smiled.

"Thanks. So are you," he replied, "Why don't we sit down and catch up?" Sherry nodded and they all left for their tables, far away from them. They were served dinner a few minutes later. It was the usual chicken, mashed potatoes, and other comfort foods. When they were all done, it was going to be just a couple of minutes until they would start speaking. As the lights dimmed, Akiza felt something in her back snap.

'Oh no!' she thought as she put a hand to her back, 'That's the third one!' Akiza quickly got up and ran away from the table. "Akiza!" Yusei said, trying to to speak too loudly. He ran over to her as she bended over in a corner. "Yusei. My bra is breaking." Yusei gasped. "No! You get them custom ordered!" he replied, "They can't break!" Akiza looked up at him. "Yes they can and they have many times! I don't want to have it break here, with all these people around." Yusei firmed up. "Well then what can I do?" Akiza looked over her shoulder. "Come around my back and put your hands where mine are." Yusei went around and put one where her left was wrapped around her back. "Do you feel anything like a string?" Yusei nodded. "Yeah. I feel it." Akiza smiled. "Now put your left hand on the left side. Feel for some strings there." Yusei found them, after a few moments. "I've got them," he replied. Akiza told him to try and make a rectangle. Yusei took a few moments as he tried to make the old rectangle again. Akiza smiled once he did, as only the top string going across was firmly left. "Good. Now hold them down, until we get home." Yusei nodded. "All right," he replied and they headed for the exit.

Leo and Luna looked around as the first announcer talked over the microphone. He introduced the date and time of the event. which would be in late June. "Where are Yusei and Akiza?" Leo wondered. Luna knew something was up and decided to message Akiza. Out in the city streets, Akiza picked up her phone, and told Luna that they were heading home. Akiza was embarrassed to say she was having a "wardrobe malfunction", so she said she wasn't feeling well. Luna understood and hoped she felt better. As Akiza put her phone back, she hanged her head, and Yusei could tell something was wrong.

"Akiza. What's wrong?" he asked. Akiza looked up as they walked. "Well...aren't you upset that you didn't get a chance to stay at the party?" Yusei smiled. "Of course not Akiza. Some of those duelists had as big of ego as Jack." He leaned in close. "Well...almost." Akiza giggled and Yusei was happy to see her smile back on her face. "Don't worry Akiza," Yusei replied, "I'd much rather not have to deal with big headed pro athletes. It seems like there are less and less like Leo, that are grateful for being there. Instead, they're only into being a celebrity."

Akiza agreed. "So how are you hands doing back there?" she asked. Yusei quickly leaned in close, so it didn't look like he was forcing Akiza to go where he wanted to. "Good, but I didn't want to people to think I'm forcing you to go somewhere with me." Akiza looked over and saw some people staring at them. "Okay," she replied, "Lets go home extra fast, so you don't look like a bad boyfriend."

Back at the party, a few of the duelists who arrived out of town, gave their speeches early on. They all said how nice it was going to be and that they had all inspected the facilities themselves. It all made the table that Leo, Luna, and Dexter sitting at role their eyes. As they talked, Leo was even more excited about his speech as he had something different planned. Finally, they called Leo up on stage.

"All right," he replied as his sister and friend gave him encouragement. When Leo went up, he felt really nervous, so he decided to start his speech right away. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. As a person who grew up in New Domino City all my life, it is really an honor to be here. But what would mean even more is if I could get the chance to someday compete in front of my little town. All of my friends and people I love would be here cheering me on. As someone who watched some of the top duelists duel here during the WRGP, I can say that I am very grateful for now having a chance to duel with some of the best in the world. Although I might not be able to compete in the first League event here, I am hopeful that I will someday be able to move up and come here. If I do, I will do everything in my power to not only compete here, but also win here. Thank you so much and have a good evening."

They applauded Leo and he went back down to his table, as another guest came up. Some of the guests had left once the guest with them had spoken or once they were finished speaking, they had to be somewhere else. With the extra space, the table of three saw Crow being stared at by Sherry. They also saw Jack, who was chugging a bottle of, what probably was, an adult beverage. They all looked at one another, as it appeared that it was not Jack's first.

With Yusei and Akiza, they had safely made it to the Izinski house. Yusei led her up the stairs to her room. "Okay. I'll open the door and then you can let go." Yusei nodded. "Okay. 1...2...3." Yusei let go and Akiza quickly ran into her room, while shutting the door. Akiza breathed a sigh of relief at being in her room. All of a sudden, she heard a snap, knowing what it was, and her bra shot out. She then heard a rip and she quickly covered her chest, while closing her eyes.

After a moment, she remembered where she was. She looked at a mirror in her room and saw what had happened. Her dress was ruined as he chest had exploded out of her top and there was a rip all the way down to her stomach. Akiza could see her bellybutton and decided she should find something to cover her chest. She went to her closet and looked at her bras. She saw her usual pairs, along with a few that she got with Jack's gift card. She put one of the former on, feeling the comfort of being fully covered and supported again. She took off her dress and saw just how bad her uncovered chest had damaged it. "And people wonder why I've always worn bras," she said with a laugh.

When Akiza came out, she was in her bedtime attire. "Oh. You changed clothes," Yusei said as she smiled at him. Akiza thought it would be best not to describe just how big and dangerous her unexposed chest really was. "Yeah. I just wanted something not so formal and a little more comfortable," she replied. Yusei smiled and took off his black, suit jacket. "All right," he replied, "Then I will too. Do you wanna watch something on TV?" Akiza nodded and they headed downstairs. They had the house to themselves, but that didn't mean that they were going to do something naughty.

Later that night, two shadows were seen in a hotel. "You're what?" Sherry shouted as she looked towards Crow. "I...I'm sorry," Crow replied and Sherry stormed over to him. "Lets see if it's really true," she replied and kissed him on the lips. She cupped his face and Crow fell back on the bed. He was uncomfortable with the situation and where it was going.

The following morning, Jack woke up and groaned. "Ohh. My head," he moaned. He looked around and found himself in only his underwear. He also saw that he was at Carly's apartment. He found himself not knowing how or why he was here. He got up, still hurting from his, what he believed to be, hangover. He got a note from Carly, saying that she was at work. He didn't think that Carly and him got physical last night, so he still wondered where his clothing was. He got dressed, in some spare clothes that Carly kept at her apartment. He then headed over to the only person who was probably home right now: Yusei.

As Jack walked, people didn't ask for his autograph. Instead, they giggled and laughed at him. Jack didn't know why and when he got to Yusei's apartment, Akiza answered the door. "Oh hey Jack. Come on in." They were both drinking some cool water and they both looked at him, with odd smiles on their faces. "Akiza, Yusei," Jack started as he looked at them, "Can you help me connect what happened last night?" Yusei nodded. "Sure thing Jack."

"First question is: what happened to my suit and pants?" Yusei turned to Akiza. "You might want to check online," Akiza replied. She then picked up a laptop and brought it over to him. "What do I look for?" Jack asked. "It's in a fully loaded video, just hit play." Jack hit the button and saw himself on stage. He was near the platform, holding a bottle. His voice was noticeably slurred.

"Now...lets be honest here. Why did we all come to this _fantastic party?" _He looked around and no one responded. "Because we're all duelists. And when we're duelists, we're better than everybody else. So, when your better than everybody else, it lets you boss people around." He pointed a person in the audience. "Hey you! Lose on purpose the next time we duel!" He pointed to someone else. "You! Wear a different tux! Black is so boring, which is why white is so much better!" Jack pulled on his suit. "Hey! I look like a giant ice cream cone in this. I should show it to everyone!" He then skipped around the stage, as people stared at him. He then made his way back to the podium.

"But of course, the best thing about being on top, is that you can take off your clothes and no one will get upset." He started by taking off his jacket. "Here! Wear this to the next party! It will keep you from looking so hideous." Jack, in the present, watched as he stripped down to everything, but his underwear. The crowd in the video laughed at his bright pink boxers. "This can't get any worse," he said in a daze.

"Just wait a moment," Yusei replied and Jack looked terrified at him. He looked back on screen. "Now if anyone wants to see just how good the great Jack Atlas looks in pink underwear, watch me model if off." Jack started by brushing back his hair and putting his hands on his hips. He then took long strides and swaying his hips, looking more a female model than male. Akiza and Yusei laughed as Jack just stared at the screen.

**A/N: I hope you enjoy the Chapter and thanks for all your support!**


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50!  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: Yeah and that will be summed up near the end of the Chapter. Glad you're enjoying it!**

**melan anime: Glad you enjoyed that part. There's a tiny part also in this Chapter as well!  
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**Preaching Red: Glad you've enjoyed the story so far and I'm grateful for you favoriting it too.  
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**A/N: I know that it seems like I'm rushing through the Chapter, but I honestly didn't have much planned for it when I started. I'm mostly focusing on the next two, which will be HUGE in terms of both plot and information.  
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**Also, a little ways into the Chapter, the story is taken from the actual beginning of episode 154, but I expanded and explained what was going on/happening.  
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As the Summer went along, Akiza found Yusei getting off work much earlier than he had before. She was awfully confused when Yusei started coming home at noon or having some days off. As they sat near the pool, by themselves at the Izinski's, Yusei hugged Akiza tightly. "Mmm," he groaned, "I love you Akiza." Akiza smiled. "I love you too," she replied and they shared a kiss. Akiza rested her hand on Yusei's thigh, as she looked at him sitting next to her.

"Yusei, why have you suddenly had so many shortened days and days off." He looked away. "Uh...it's...uh...top...secret information," he replied really slowly. Yusei smiled. "Oh yeah! Perfect response!" he shouted as he stood up. Akiza looked at him. "What do you mean 'perfect response' Yusei?" He turned around. "Oh...did I say that out loud?" Akiza frowned. "You sure did," she replied, "Now, as you were saying about your _perfect response." _Yusei looked worried. "I've...uh...got to use the restroom," he replied and quickly ran inside. Akiza folded her arms. "What is he up to?" she wondered to herself.

A few days later, Akiza was walking around. New Domino City had some nice, local restaurants, which were perfect for going out to lunch. Akiza had eaten at one of them and decided to walk around. As she did, she spotted the, what used to be, Arcadia Movement building. She hadn't visited it since the Dark Signers and wondered what had happened to it. 'Probably turned into some sort of office space,' she thought as she walked towards it. When she got to the corner, just across from it, she spotted two people leaving. Her mouth dropped when she saw who it was.

'Yusei and Lazar?' Akiza wondered, 'What were they doing there?' She watched them make a right and walk down the block. "Yusei!" she shouted and he waved to her. Akiza growled as she looked at the red light. It luckily turned green and she ran across the street. "Yusei!" she called as they luckily stopped and turned around. "Hey Akiza," Yusei replied. He would have given her some display of affection, but decided to hold back with Lazar right there.

"So, what are you guys doing?" she asked, "I saw you coming out of the old Arcadia Movement building. Is there something going on in there?" Yusei got nervous. "Um...well, you see there's..."

"That's really top secret information at this point," Lazar replied, before Yusei could say anything more, "However, when the time is right, I'm sure Yusei will be able to tell you everything." Akiza looked up at him. "Yusei?" she asked. Yusei stared at her, as Lazar passed him. "Come on Yusei. We already know how things are going, so lets get a move on." Akiza watched as the two of them walked away. Yusei looked over his shoulder, trying to give Akiza a wink, but he was too far away for her to see. 'What could Yusei be hiding?" Akiza wondered.

A few weeks later, there was a severe thunderstorm that was rolling through New Domino City. Dexter was waiting at Luna's, as she was going to take him to work. One of the limos that the Tops normally provided was broken and the rest were being used. So, Yusei offered his used car, as Dexter still couldn't drive. He felt bad about not being able to drive, but Luna insisted that it was no big deal. She had tried to help Dexter learn, but they decided a professional would be better. Luna knew just how guilty and sad Dexter felt, as he was extremely afraid of driving. Yusei and Akiza offered him encouragement, saying that it won't be so bad, once you get the hang of it.

Anyways, as Dexter got ready, Luna watched the rain pour down the windows. "It's too bad you don't cashier today," Luna noted as Dexter got a jacket on, "Are you sure that they could let you wait until the rain stops?" Dexter shook his head. "It's retail. They don't care about you," Dexter replied and Luna frowned. Dexter had talked about how friendly and nice the workers were, but he knew the big shots at the very top only saw him as a number. However, he was sometimes offered a reward for his hard work, usually a free soda pop or candy. Still, despite taking it a few times, Dexter had also avoided a few times as well. Luna knew that it was due to his kind heart, as no one seemed to notice when he declined the treat.

As Luna got her jacket on, she looked down at her boyfriend. "Well, know that I care about you," she replied and gave him a kiss. They walked out and Luna drove him to work. She watched as he stepped out into the pouring rain, clutching onto his lunch box and water bottle. "I'll be here for when you're done," she replied and Dexter thanked her. As she drove off, Dexter sighed and went inside.

Later, when Dexter was done, Luna drove up, and instantly knew it was him. His water stained glasses and drenched outfit gave him away, as he waited by the curb. As he climbed in, Dexter talked about his wet and tiring experience. "I have something special for you when we get home," she replied once he was finished. Dexter looked at her curiously.

When they got back to the Tops, Luna smiled as Dexter headed for a bedroom. "You can get dressed and the come meet me in the kitchen." Dexter got changed into some bedtime clothes and, when he went to the kitchen, Luna held out a plate for him. "Here," Luna said as she held it out for him, "I made dinner for you." Dexter looked as she had made pipping hot sloppy joes, with baked beans, some steamed vegetables, and there was some canned fruit at the table."I'll go pour you a big glass of milk," Luna added. "Uh...thanks Luna," Dexter replied embarrassingly. He sat down and Luna sat down next to him. After he said grace, Dexter dove in. "Wow!" Dexter replied after he bit into the sloppy joes, "These are really good." Luna smiled.

"I put green peppers and onions in there," Luna replied. Dexter smiled. "Aww! I love those," Dexter replied as he took another bite. "Me too," Luna replied and she watched as Dexter ate her food, looking happy as could be. When he was done, Luna took his plate, and headed to the sink. "Thanks so much Luna. It was great." He then gave her a hug as Luna washed his plate. "You're welcome Dexter," she replied as she set the plate down and gave him a hug. After washing and drying the dishes, the two of them sat on the living room sofa.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Dexter asked as he sat with an arm around her. Luna shook her head. "Just seeing you smile and being happy is more than enough," Luna replied. Dexter frowned. "But...Luna," he replied, "I...really should do something for you." Luna shook her head. "No way Dexter. I saw how upset and sad you looked having to go out in the rain. And I don't blame you. It hurts me to see you so sad and I want to make you happy. So, just seeing you happy makes me happy and that's my reward for me." Dexter looked away blushing. How was he lucky enough to have a woman like her in his life?

"Really Luna. Is there anything at all?" Luna shook her head. "I'm fine Dexter. Just making you happy and getting to spend time with you is more than enough." Dexter smiled and gave her a tight hug. "Well...thanks Luna." Luna hugged back, enjoying the moment together. "You do so much for me," Dexter replied as he leaned back, "I'm so lucky to have you." Luna nodded.

"I feel the same way," Luna answered, "I'm taking some college classes this Summer and then I'll take some next Summer. That way, I'll be done with both my scholarship and 2-year degree, and Leo and I can move back here." Dexter was worried. "Yeah, but I'm not going to be done next year," Dexter replied, "Do you want me to take a full Summer schedule to catch up?" Luna shook her head

"No Dexter. I'll take a year off and then we can go to school together the following Fall. We might not have the classes in the same area, but we could try to go to school at about the same time and stuff. It'll be great." Dexter looked down. "That does sound great," he added and Luna gave him a kiss on the cheek. "And remember, if there's anything you need, just ask," Luna replied. Dexter nodded and then yawned loudly. "Uhhh," he moaned, "I'd probably better be getting home." Luna smiled. "Yeah. I'll drive you home." Dexter grabbed his work clothes and they headed back to Dexter's apartment. As she drove him home, Dexter saw that Luna still had a purse from when she was back in middle school.

"How long have you had that purse?" Dexter asked as he looked to his left. Luna shrugged. "I think middle school," Luna replied and she slowed for a red light. Dexter then got an idea, but he was a bit nervous about it.

Akiza decided to just wait when it came to bugging Yusei about what he was doing. He had hinted at it before, but he never told anyone what it was. Yusei did have a secret side to him, but Akiza thought she had broken that wall, especially now that she was his girlfriend. Still, Yusei didn't seem upset when she had asked him about it later that day. He insisted that it was not a bad thing and that, when everything was set, he would be more than happy to tell her about it. He then gave her a kiss and tried to make her feel better. Akiza just decided to drop the subject and when the time came, the time came.

Yusei helped Akiza go to the eye doctor, a few weeks later, and Akiza was silent on the subject of Yusei's secret. The doctor smiled as Akiza leaned back from the doctor checking out her eyes. "So everything's all set," he replied, "When you come back this winter, we'll give your contacts, so you can try them out while you're in Germany. If you don't like the contacts, you can wear your glasses once you get back." Akiza nodded and smiled, as Yusei sat a short distance away.

He didn't want Akiza to wear contacts. He enjoyed her red framed glasses, as they showed her beautiful brown eyes. He also enjoyed the fact that, with both of them wearing glasses, it made it feel like they were similar in another way. But Yusei wanted her to be happy and let Akiza try them out. There was still the possibility of her returning back to glasses anyways.

As she left to go back to Germany, for only one more year, which included being a student adviser, Yusei gave her a big hug at the airport. "By this time next year, you'll be a fully trained doctor," Yusei said as he squeezed her tightly. Akiza grunted. "Yusei. You're squishing me." Yusei let go of her. "Sorry," he replied, but she gave him a kiss anyways. "I'll tell you when I get back and don't worry Yusei. I'll be sure to give everyone my beautiful smile." She then grinned for her boyfriend.

"I'm sure you will," he replied, "Now travel safely." Akiza waved to him and her parents as she headed to the terminal. Yusei smiled as he thought about just how far she had come. 'In one year, not only will she be a doctor, but also something much more,' he thought as he left the airport.

It seemed like Yusei could only blink and it was suddenly winter. He found himself now waiting for Akiza at the airport, with Christmas on his mind. He especially hoped that Akiza enjoyed his selection and he wanted to see her happy, when he would give it to her. He lost his train of thought as he heard her shout to him. "Yusei!" she cried and Yusei quickly found himself in a hug. Yusei laughed as he quickly returned it.

"Hey Akiza. Merry Christmas." Akiza leaned back and took Yusei's roses. "Merry Christmas to you. It's in a couple of days, but I'm really excited." Yusei laughed. "Me too. I can't wait to spend it with you." Suddenly, Yusei spotted two people coming from behind her. "Yusei! Akiza!" they both shouted and sure enough, it was the twins, Leo and Luna. They ran up to them and gave them each a "welcome home" hug.

"You guys ready for Christmas?" Akiza asked, once they were all settled in. "Yeah!" Leo replied, "And I can't wait to taste some of Martha's delicious cooking!" He rubbed his hands excitedly. "Don't worry," a voice replied, "You'll get you share of food." Leo looked up. "Martha!" he replied and he gave her a hug. Luna gave her a hug as well. Martha smiled. "It's nice to see that you are following in Yusei's footsteps, by not being afraid to still be affectionate with me." Luna nodded. "We don't mind hugging you Martha. You're like family to us." Martha blushed and Akiza's parents came up. They each gave her a hug.

Later, they all sat around at Martha's house, enjoying her holiday cooking. Crow and Jack couldn't make it this year, but they each sent their best wishes. Still, that didn't make up for the fact that they couldn't enjoy Martha and the Izinski's delicious holiday cooking. They all munched on unhealthy snacks and talked about how they were all looking forward to coming back to live in New Domino City in a few months. The twins had already brought some of their stuff from London, with just the bare necessities left back. Akiza was going to be able to bring everything back that she packed, without a hassle, so they were all in good shape.

That night, once everyone went home, Yusei went to his room. He picked up the small box he had for Akiza and sighed. He had spent quite a bit on this gift and he really wanted wanted her to like it. 'Of course, I won't be as nervous when I...' Yusei quickly shrugged off the thought, as it only made him more nervous about his future. He set the box back on his dresser and hoped that he would be going into bed the next night, happy and satisfied.

The next morning, Yusei got up and dressed. He put on his usual attire and looked at the Christmas tree in his living room. It was an artificial tree, with not very fancy or expensive ornaments. Yusei felt a little odd having a tree, with very little time to show it off. 'Still, it'll be much easier once she's...' Again, Yusei had to shake off the thought and quickly decided to make breakfast. Once that was done with, Yusei brushed his teeth and shaved, making sure to hit every spot on his face. Afterwards, Yusei felt his stubble hairs, wishing they would just disappear. Still, he had done as best he could and he brushed his head of hair, with a few extra strokes. He went and grabbed the box from his dresser, putting it in his front pocket.

Yusei had never really understood putting gifts in the back pocket. He understood wanting to hide it, but it was really uncomfortable, especially when sitting down. When Martha came, Yusei hopped in the car with her and rode to the Izinski's. Akiza greeted them at the door, happily making room for Martha and her food. "Hey Yusei," Akiza replied as Martha went in to greet her parents, "Merry Christmas." She gave him a kiss and took notice of the stocking cap Martha had given him in the car. "What's with the hat?" she asked. Yusei smiled.

"It's Christmas isn't it?" he asked and gave her a kiss. "Merry Christmas." They both put their arms around one another and went to the living room. Yusei took notice of just how much bigger and better decorated the Izinski's tree was. It put his tree to shame, that was for sure, and it was certainly nice to look at. He sat down on the couch, nervously waiting for someone to call him out on it.

Across town, Luna, Leo, and Dexter were exchanging gifts. They were down to Luna, who had already opened her brother's gift. Now, she was opening Dexter's. She gasped when she picked it up. "Oh Dexter! This is wonderful! A purse! Oh! It's just what I needed." She opened the top. "Oh it's white and it's nice and big." Dexter sweat dropped. "If it's too big I could get you another one..."

"No way!" she replied, "This one is perfect! I have so much room to put my stuff in here! It's just wonderful!" Luna leaned over and kissed him unexpectedly. Leo giggled at the scene and then stood up. "All right. It's time for us to go," he announced as Dexter and Luna stared at one another. "Hello?" Leo questioned, "Lets go!" They both snapped out of it. "Right," they replied in unison. As they headed for the door, and with his back towards them, Dexter stood on his tip toes, and kissed Luna on her lower cheek. Luna blushed and the two held hands, until they got out to the car.

Back at the Izinski's, Yusei had heard the line he was waiting for. "Why don't you guys open gifts?" Martha asked. Yusei had sat down, in front of the tree, next to Akiza. Martha insisted that their parents leave the room, to give them some time together. Akiza watched curiously, as they went out faster than normal. After she gave her gift to Yusei, he seemed incredibly nervous. His hand was almost shaving, as he handed a small box to her. "Here you go Akiza," he managed in a calmer tone than his body suggested, "M-Merry Christmas." Akiza looked at him, wondering what it was. She took the small box and gently unwrapped it.

When she got the paper off, it was a small box that was clearly some kind of jewelry. When she opened it, she gasped and put her right hand over her mouth. Inside were two, small, clip on, diamond earrings. Unlike the commercials on TV, these ones were not very godly and were rather simple. Two small diamonds were inside and they were not very big. Still, they were diamonds none the less and Akiza was overjoyed by the gift. She turned to Yusei and showed him her smile, which gave him the joy to smile back. "Oh Yusei!" she gasped as she hugged him. She then looked at the earrings. "These are beautiful!" Yusei leaned in close.

"Do you like them?" he asked. Akiza turned to him. "I love them," she replied and leaned in for a big kiss on the lips. Yusei was surprised by just how happy Akiza was as she nearly made him fall on his back, despite the fact that only their lips pressed against one another. Akiza stood up and Yusei followed. "Here, why don't we put them on and then you can check yourself out in that mirror." Yusei pointed to a small mirror on the wall, as it had small snowmen sitting next to it. Akiza clipped them onto her ears, as she never wanted to go through the pain and process of having her ears pierced. Once she had them one, Akiza went up to the mirror, and checked herself out.

"I'll only wear these on special occasions," she replied, as she smiled at the mirror. "You don't have to do that," Yusei replied, "You could wear them everyday if you like." Akiza turned around. "But then they wouldn't be special, especially since they were given to me by my special boyfriend." Yusei blushed and tried to look away. Still, Akiza spotted the sofa right behind him. Akiza felt as though that first kiss on the lips hadn't done him justice, as she saw how much money he had paid on the box. It wasn't a ton, especially since they were both very small and clip on. However, they were diamonds none the less and Akiza was so overjoyed that Yusei had gotten them for her. She put her arms around him and gently forced him back, until Yusei fell onto the couch, taking Akiza with him. Yusei had been in this spot before, but he was nervous about the situation.

"Akiza. Are you sure this is all right?" Akiza looked at him and, for once, she didn't care if her parents caught them. However, she still wanted to be sure Yusei and her agreed to it, just like they had done for every make out session before. "I want to Yusei, but I will only do it if you say so. Remember, our parents did give us some time alone."

"That's true," Yusei replied, "And I did tell Martha about my gift, so I'm sure she probably wants to give us more time alone than usual." Yusei looked up at Akiza, who smiled at him. After what he said, it did make sense. "All right. Lets make out." Akiza smiled as she pressed her body atop of Yusei. They kept their moans and groans quiet and they finished just before the doorbell rang. "Everything good Akiza?" Yusei asked, once they were done. Akiza nodded. "Yep. No pain. Yourself?" Yusei smiled. "No pain." They hugged one another, as the door swung open. Akiza and Yusei made sure their hair was neat and tidy, before greeting the twins. Leo, like a typical man, didn't notice Akiza's earrings, but Luna sure did.

"Oh Akiza! What nice earrings you have!" Akiza turned to Yusei. "Yes and guess who got them for me?" Yusei blushed and Akiza noticed what Luna had around her arm. "Oh Luna! What a nice purse you have!" Luna turned to her boyfriend. "Yes and guess who got it for me?" Dexter now blushed and the two women laughed at their embarrassed best friends. They all took a seat and talked, as the day went along very well.

A few months later...

Luna got up and looked out her window, on a chilly winter day. It was a partly cloudy day in London and she knew that she had to get to school on time. However, since she still had a little bit of time, so she got ready. She put on a long pink like robe, that she had gotten a short while ago. London had excellent fashion selections, some of which were different from the ones across the Atlantic. She let it fall down to her knees, but pushed it up as she put on her longest pair of short shorts (which was still just shorter than he length of her hand). She then tied a red, belt like cloth that went around the outfit, just above her hips. She made sure that the front kept her shorts exposed, but the back was kept just low enough to cover her shorts.

However, it wasn't the shorts themselves that she was trying to hide. It's what those shorts were covering, that made Luna let it hang down. Luna enjoyed these outfits, not only because they let her legs breath and let her upper body stay warm, but they also covered her behind. Luna loved upsetting guys, as they watched her walk by. They would see the short shorts and instantly want to stare once she had passed and was out of their sight. However, their excited faces would quickly turn to disappointment, once they would see that her behind was covered by the outfit. Luna still remembered the first time wearing one and enjoyed watching both the young and old alike lose their "excitement" at seeing her.

Once Luna's outfit was acceptable, she brushed her hair and then headed downstairs for breakfast. Leo was waiting for her. "You think you'll be ready today Luna?" Leo asked as he chomped down on a bowl of cereal. Luna grabbed herself a bowl. "I'll be fine, just as long as I get to school on time." Leo grinned, as he gave her a thumbs up. "Don't worry Luna. I'll get you there in a jiffy." Luna rolled her eyes. Even though it was still cold outside and the trees were still bare as could be, there was no snow on the ground. As soon as that happened, Leo wanted to start riding around on his Duel Runner, as much as possible, and that included taking Luna to school.

"I just need like 5 minutes to get my school books and stuff out of my locker," Luna added, "You don't need to break the speed limit to get there." Still, Leo chugged his orange juice and didn't seem to hear Luna's request. To make Leo happy, Luna had rented a small school locker at school, where she kept her main notebooks and writing utensils. That way, he could both take her to school and get to ride his Runner, without her having to hang onto her supplies as she rode in back. Once Luna was done eating and brushed her teeth, Luna got to the part of the day that she enjoyed the most.

She went back to her room and opened a small box. Inside, was the necklace Dexter had gotten her. She wrapped in around her neck and let it hang down. "Come on Luna! You're class starts in 45 minutes." Luna then reached for a second object. "Coming!" Luna shouted as she grabbed the big white purse that Dexter got her. She smiled as she ran downstairs and she thought about what a great guy she was dating.

Now came the least fun part of the day. Or at least one of. Luna took a red helmet that Leo gave her and she held onto her brother's stomach. She heard the engine roar and they were off. In the background, the famous Ben Ben, also called Elizabeth Tower, struck nine. However, neither couldn't hear it over both the engine and Luna's screaming. Luna didn't like fast things, which was a major relief to her boyfriend, as he felt the same way. Yusei and Akiza didn't so much care for fast rides either, but that wasn't the only thing the four of them disagreed with Leo on. Leo was zipping in and out of lanes, as if Luna was in an actual hurry. Yusei and Akiza stressed for Leo not to do that. They told him be safe and to follow the laws, as they are both very important rules to follow. His sister and best friend echoed the same response. Still, Leo thought he was invincible, much like Jack, and didn't listen to them.

Luna finally managed to stop screaming, as the Duel Runner skidded to a stop in front of the school. College students of young and old were filling in and getting ready for class. "For goodness sakes!" Luna scolded Leo as she stood up, off of the bike. Luna took her helmet off and breathed a small sigh of relief. A short ways away, sure enough, a row of four guys bonked into one another and blushed at Luna. She put a hand on her hips and gave Leo a mean stare.

"Leo! I told you not to go so fast!" she said as she leaned over in disgust. Leo flipped his helmet flap up. "There's no point in saying that to the future Turbo Dueling Champion!" he replied rather cockily, "Later Luna!" He flipped his helmet back down and did a wheelie, as he drove off and took a right turn. Luna frowned at him the whole time, before rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Luna!" a couple girls from class shouted to her. Not only did Luna have guys falling over her, but Leo did as well. He had won a few tournaments and the local media did give him some small bit of press. This then lead to a small group of fans swooning over him. "Was that your brother just now Luna?" the brown haired one asked. "He's so cool!" the blue haired one added.

Luna looked skeptically at them and waved her hand as she talked, hoping they would cool themselves off. "He's still got a ways to go before he can compare to Yusei and the others," she replied. To be honest, she didn't like girls coming up to her, trying to get with Leo. Leo had told her to not let it get to her and that there had actually been some guys that went up to him, trying to get with her. Luna asked him what he did about it. "I first told any creeper to back off and that I know a cop," Leo replied, referring to Trudge, "And secondly, that if they were going to date you, they'd have to get my approval. Asking me if a total stranger can come and hook up with you doesn't really seem like a good way to get my approval." To be honest, Luna could see the last part as good or bad, but like Leo, Luna denied girls from getting to him. She would usual change the subject and try to just get them to stop bothering her.

Across the pond, Crow was at a training session with a couple of other teams. His team was all sitting at a table. "Crow, you're really going to leave the team?" one of them asked. "Why the heck are you?" the other one asked as he slammed his fist on the table, "We could've been Duel Champions!" Crow set his drink down on the table. "I've done everything I can as part of this team," Crow replied, "There's nothing else I can learn from you guys."

It was true. Crow had switched teams a few times, but each time, the new guys had something new or unique about them. That helped pave the way to a couple of Championships. However, the last season, Crow didn't get that vibe from these guys. Not to mention, he stayed in touch with Sherry and Jack over the last few months of the season. He could feel the solo Turbo Dueling League calling for him. "I'm trying to test my own strength," Crow added, as it both referred to the past and the future, "Just like Jack did."

"Crow," his teammates replied in unison. Crow flipped opened his phone, showing a picture of Leo. It was obvious that him and his sister were related, as they both had very long legs. It was a picture of Leo, after he won a match a few months ago. Leo flashed his trademark peace sign, which he managed to include somewhere, after every duel.

"And if you let this guy join your team in my place, you're sure to get a lot farther." Crow smiled as he looked at the picture of Leo grinning widely for the camera.

A much farther ways away, Jack was exiting a stadium, after a Turbo Dueling exhibition. "Jack Atlas!" the announcer screamed, as a bunch of people screamed. "King," the reporter started his question as Jack continued walking, "Crow Hogan has written us a boastful message. Crow said that he's going to become the champion. Any comment?" Jack stared at them and shouted.

"Then tell Crow this: You maybe a promising upstart, but you still stand no chance against me." Jack snarled. "I won't lost to anyone," he muttered, "Until he beats me that is." Jack then followed two younger ladies as they walked into a display of flashing lights and screaming fans.

Back in Germany, Akiza was waiting at the hospital, that she had finished her training at. She sat at a larger office space, which was designated for the student advisers, and she was watching a recap of Jack's duel. Like Yusei, Akiza had a good amount of spare time, as some kids didn't care to talk to student advisers. However, there were still some who came in every now and then, for some graduate advice. Akiza folded her arms, as she watched the screen. She was wearing her contacts, but she had already decided to switch back to her red framed glasses, once she got back to New Domino City. When she told Yusei, he confessed that he enjoyed seeing her in glasses, just like him. Akiza smiled and told Yusei that he should have told her that, but Yusei, as always, didn't want to hurt her feelings. Still, she focused on the screen and Jack, as she wore her temporary contact lenses.

"Goodness...Jack's the same as always," Akiza replied as the video ended. Her hair was currently very long and the doctors didn't like that. To not upset both the workers and to make a good impression for the students that weren't fully trained, Akiza had put her hair in a bun. She had planned a haircut in just a couple of days and couldn't wait to put her hair back in it's usual form. Not only did Akiza have to keep her hair in check, but her chest as well.

To keep her chest from sticking out really bad and setting a bad example for the doctors in training, Akiza wore a extremely large and lose black undershirt. It was similar to Luna's outfit, but unlike Luna's, Akiza was in a larger size. Even with a brown belt on, Akiza's outfit was very loose fitting and didn't show off her large bust. Akiza was grateful for Luna's suggestion and it was a fun, appropriate outfit to wear.

Suddenly, a younger doctor, who was training in the emergency area, bursted into the room. Even though she was not trained in the emergency field, Akiza was still suppose to try and talk to any student that came to her for help. This one, Akiza seen before. "Dr. Akiza! I can't do this! I can't watch this any longer!" She was in her pink uniform as she buried her head into her hands. Akiza stood up from her swivel chair.

"You can't give up," Akiza replied and doctor looked up, as tears streamed down her face. "We must continue to smile and support them." The nurse wiped a tear from her eye. "How can you be that strong Dr. Akiza?" Akiza looked up, as she remembered what Yusei told her. "Never give up and continue to smile," Akiza repeated, _"A certain person taught me that."_ Akiza turned to a picture and knew who she was talking about.

Despite having multiple people in the picture, her eyes were on the person in the middle. It was Yusei, as he happily held a trophy and smiled. Akiza then recalled some more of what Yusei said. "Believe in your potential and challenge with all you've got."

Akiza knew what she was about to say was very personal. Even though Yusei and her hadn't talked really much about it, they both knew it in their hearts. They had decided on kids and they knew just how much they loved each other. Their love was never based on looks or attractiveness, unlike other couples, and it was instead based on the bond they shared. Although Yusei didn't preach about bonds anymore, the bond they share was much more than friendship and even more than love itself. It was the bond that only two lovers could have and they both knew what that would lead to. It was a big thing to talk about and a big thing to do, but they knew that they had mutual feelings for one another. Akiza knew that, once she came back with a degree in her hand, it was only a matter of time. So, she didn't have any regrets, when she spoke her next sentence, and implied what was soon going to happen.

_"I just have to do my best. So that someday, I can thank the person who taught me that, with all my heart."_

**A/N: To me, "_So that someday, I can thank the person who taught me that, with all my heart" _implies that Yusei and Akiza will get married (and a few other things, but that's for another time). Akiza was clearly talking about Yusei when she said that and the only way, at least I can conclude, that you can thank someone with "all your heart" is through marriage. Some people might think I'm stretching it, especially ones that don't think Yusei and Akiza end up together.  
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**Anyways, next Chapter, Yusei reveals his ordeals of being a scientist and some of what happened behind the scenes. I hope you'll stick around for the next Chapter and have a happy holiday season!  
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	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51!  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: Thanks for the review! I really had fun expanding on what they showed in the future as well as making connections (such as Luna's purse and necklace).**

**babywe (Chapter 42): Glad you enjoyed that part!  
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**Preaching Red: Thanks for the favorite and it's okay if you got distracted!  
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**A/N: Here's Akiza coming home as well as Yusei's background on being a "scientist."  
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As Akiza got ready for graduation, she was nearly bouncing off the walls. Today was the day where she would accept her diploma and finally be recognized as a official doctor. Despite the fact that she was probably going to end up in a lot less severe situations than her peers, she didn't really mind doing some of the lesser important work. Akiza wanted to help as many people as she could and the best way to do that was with simpler and less complicated situations.

As she went up during the graduation ceremony, she really wished that her parents and Yusei were here. After all, they were the ones who helped her most of all. She knew that a fair amount of her peers had people living nearby, so there was always a small applause for when they called their names. When Akiza's got called, she didn't hear much applause. Still, she was okay with that. After all, she would have plenty of that when she got home.

Across Europe, Luna was going to be experiencing a similar situation very soon. She only had a few credits to earn her 2-year degree diploma and was going to finish in the Summer. The fully grown woman thought about her friend as she was finishing up her finals. It made her think about Dexter as well and how much they still had to attend school. Yet, at the same time, having a year off, and helping Dexter with his final few credits was going to be fun.

As soon as Akiza got her diploma, she got on the next flight back home to New Domino City. When she got there, Yusei was waiting, and was extremely emotional. He couldn't believe she was a fully trained doctor and he was now excited to have her permanently back. No more flying back and forth. No more goodbyes at the airport. And no more leaving the country by herself.

When Akiza ran off of the airplane and into the terminal, Yusei gasped when he saw her. Akiza had put her glasses back on and he thought she looked as stunning as ever, in her old fashioned Victorian style outfit. Luckily, he wore his familiar outfit as well and it reminded them of what had transpired over the years. When Akiza got up to him, she set her stuff down, and they wrapped one another in a hug. "I'm so proud of you," Yusei replied as he leaned over her shoulder. They both felt some tears flow from their eyes, as they were overjoyed with happiness. Akiza leaned back and smiled.

"Here's my diploma," she replied and held it out for him to see. Yusei gasped and read it to himself, as Akiza had asked for it to be printed in English. Yusei smiled and gave it to her parents, for their eyes to see. Once they looked over it, Mr. Izinski held onto it, and said, "Lets go out to celebrate!" They all cheered and they headed outside, with Yusei putting an arm around Akiza. Once they put Akiza's stuff in the trunk, Akiza sat down next to Yusei, and they shared a kiss on the lips. They headed to a fancy restaurant and, despite the occasion, Yusei and Akiza declined a "more adult beverage." Instead, the two had soda pop, as neither one cared for any alcohol.

A few days later, Luna and Leo came back for good. They had brought the last few things with them as they were going to make New Domino City their primary home again. Luna was going to go, with Dexter, to a 4-year college once they finished their 2 year degrees. Leo was going to join the Team Dueling Circuit on Crow's team and travel the country, as Crow had offered him a spot on his former team. Crow, meanwhile, was getting his feet wet in the Professional Turbo Dueling League. He had run in a circuit for a brief time in Asia, as they had done some co-sponsored events with them. However, he fully planned to move back around the world and hopefully challenge Jack, who also did some exhibitions in Asia as well.

But anyways, as Leo and Luna arrived at the airport, Luna asked Akiza what she was going to do. "I'm going to apply for New Domino City hospital," Akiza replied. Yusei quickly put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe we should hold off on that for a little bit," he replied. Akiza gave him an odd look. "Why is that?" she asked.

"You have spent quite a bit of time in Europe, so maybe you should spend some time celebrating and relaxing. After all, with your Dad's job, you're not going to be money strapped for quite a long time." Akiza nodded, although she still wondered why Yusei wanted her to wait. She went back to talking with the twins, as they all headed outside, and then back home.

A few days later, Yusei picked Akiza up at her house and insisted that he had a surprise waiting for her at his house. Akiza asked him what it was, but Yusei insisted that he couldn't tell her. Still, Akiza pressured him to tell her, despite his refusal. When they got to the apartment, Yusei went to open the door. "Okay. Before you go in, I need you to put this blindfold on." Akiza raised her eyebrows. "Oooohh! Is this a surprise party?" Yusei looked up as he tied the blindfold. "Uhhh...no," he replied, "But I can tell you it's something special."

Yusei opened the door and led her inside. "You remember when I showed you that 'friendship shrine' with the WRGP trophy and all that stuff?" Akiza nodded. "Well...I got rid of it," Yusei continued as they came to a stop in his room. Akiza turned to her right. "Why did you do that Yusei?" Akiza asked as she put her hands on her hips. "Um...Akiza," Yusei replied, "I'm over here. To your left." Akiza put her hands down. "Oh," she replied and turned to her left 180 degrees. "Why did you do that Yusei?" she repeated and did the same action as before. Yusei put his hands on her shoulders.

"On the count of three, take the blindfold off." Akiza nodded and put her hands behind her head. "One...two...three!" Yusei shouted as he pulled off a long white sheet. There was a sudden noise of somethings falling and Yusei looked at what he had uncovered. "Whops," he said as he went to straighten it out. Akiza put her hands to her lips, as they were in a circular shape.

On a table, as Yusei set them back up, were a bunch of picture frames. They were taken over the years, from when the two of them had dated. Yusei went back and explained what they were to her. "The best part is that only the two of us are in every picture." Akiza examined them and, sure enough, Yusei was right. Each picture contained only Yusei, Akiza, or the two of them together. They had pictures from Christmas, Summer vacations, their first date, and so on. Akiza turned to Yusei. "And there's even more room to continue on with," Yusei replied as he pointed to a blank table next to the full one. Akiza cupped his cheeks and kissed him on the lips.

"Oh Yusei. This is wonderful!" she replied and walked up to the table. She looked at all the photos from over the years and, even though they had aged, Akiza looked past that, and focused on how happy they were. It was really nice to look at the photos of them and see just how happy they were as a couple, which is what everyone else saw. "So you got these from Martha and my parents?" Yusei nodded. "Yep. I put the other shrine away, because I figured that..." He put his arms around his lover, "You're the most important friend I have and we deserve a shrine just for us." Akiza blushed. "Thank you Yusei. I really enjoy looking back at all of this." They put their arms around each other and admired all of the photos, recalling what many of them showed.

About a month later, it was time for New Domino City to host it's first Turbo Dueling League event in several years. Everyone was excited since Jack and Crow would be competing, as well as Leo, who had joined Crow's former team. They had matched well together, just like Crow had thought, and had earned a few victories. Yusei wanted them all to come over to a fancy restaurant to celebrate, no matter how well or bad they finished. Akiza had noticed Yusei acting a bit oddly, as he still insisted that she should not apply for New Domino City hospital several times.

Still, she let it roll off her back, as they got ready for the tournament. The three duelists got ready as their family and friends watched from above in the stands. Everyone took notice about how Yusei was seemingly less interested in the Dueling and instead on keeping Akiza happy. He offered to buy her any snacks or concessions that were available and everyone rolled their eyes as Yusei offered to take her to the bathroom too. On top of that, they were constantly kissing and hugging, despite being out in public. They all knew they were inseparable and they all talked, while they were away of course, about the thought of becoming one in holy matrimony.

Still, not only was Yusei's mind on Akiza, but he also seemed to be elsewhere. When waiting for Akiza to release her bodily functions, Akiza found him many times deep in thought, instead of being overjoyed at her being finished. She wondered why and hoped things didn't turn into the WRGP all over again.

Her mind was put at ease, as the tournament went along smoothly. Unfortunately, New Domino City didn't get the hometown match up they hoped for, as Crow lost in the semifinals. Jack ended up winning the whole thing, but the two of them were surprisingly calm towards one another, due to getting to shine in front of their hometown. Leo took third with his team, but like the other two duelists, was not upset at the results. He got to duel in front of his hometown and that made him happy most of all.

Akiza watched as, the moment Jack won, Yusei got up, and headed for the restaurant. He said that he had a few things that he needed to set up, which made Akiza wonder what it was. She told the others what Yusei had said and apologized on his behalf, as they met the three duelists down by the track. After congratulating and talking, including Martha giving each a tight, embarrassing bear hug, they all said they'll meet up at the restaurant. The guys had some things to put away, but would meet up with them shortly. Once they were all gone, the three Turbo Duelists talked to one another.

"Do you think Yusei's going to...you know?" Leo asked. Jack shook his head. "He hasn't talked about it to me," he replied. "Me neither," Crow added, "And I'm sure if he was going to ask for Akiza's hand, he would tell _somebody."_ Leo thought for a moment. "Do you think he told Martha?" Crow shrugged. "We tell Martha all kinds of things that she hasn't told anyone else. So, I suppose it's possible." Still, none of them thought that might be why Yusei left, even though it did make sense.

As the other group of friends, went inside the restaurant, they noticed just how nice it was. Of course, knowing Jack's high standards, it made sense why Yusei had to pick this place. They told them of the reservation and the host pointed them to a large room. They went inside and found Yusei standing by a table. They were the only ones in the room and were by themselves, but that's not what got their attention.

Next to the table, was Yusei's laptop and a screen to project on. None of them knew why or what he was doing, but he smiled as he looked up at them. "Hey you guys," he said and ran over to them. The first person he greeted, as always, was Akiza, to which he shared a kiss. "Did you guys make it here all right?" Akiza nodded. "Yes we did, but what's with the projector and stuff Yusei?" Yusei smiled. "I'll tell you guys after dinner," he replied, "But for right now, why don't you all take a seat?"

They all did as he had instructed and they waited for the other duelists to arrive. The others ordered drinks and talked mainly about the duels. Still, Akiza sat next to Yusei and she looked worried. Yusei was keeping a secret and she worried something bad was happening. Yusei turned to her and saw her looking upset. He couldn't stand seeing her so sad, so he took her hand. "Come on," he said and they walked outside the room. Akiza watched as Yusei turned to face her, once they found a spot alone.

"Akiza. What's wrong?" he asked. Akiza sighed. "I...just worry that you're hiding so much from me. I'm worried that you're going to tell us something bad." Yusei shook his head and wrapped his arms around her. Before Akiza could say anything else, he gave her a firm kiss on the lips. He leaned back and looked into her brown eyes. "Akiza. Trust me. The reason why I'm keep this stuff a secret is that it's so good, that I want everyone to hear about it. Okay? I would never keep anything a secret from you, especially if it's bad news. I love you too much Akiza and I'm sure you'll love what I have to tell you and everyone else. Can you promise me that you'll stay to listen to what I have to say?" Akiza looked at him and smiled. "Yes. I'll stay Yusei." Now it was her turn to give him a kiss. "I love you too."

They both smiled and went back inside. Everyone watched as they came in, hand in hand, with smiles on their faces. They both sat down and avoided intense questioning, as the three duelists came in a short while later. They all sat down, in a circle, and a waiter took their orders. Once he had left the room and shut the door, Yusei stood up.

"So why are we here?" Luna asked as her boyfriend sat next to her. "Yeah Yusei," Dexter added, "What's the deal?" Yusei smiled at them and looked at all of his friends, who were on pins and needles on what he had to say. "Well...there are two things I wanted to talk about and I think the first part should be while we wait for our food." Everyone was confused. "What's the first part about?" Akiza asked. Yusei looked at her and smiled confidently.

"It's how I became a scientist and what _really _went on." Everyone was confused. "What do you mean Yusei?" Jack asked with his arms folded, "You became head of the project and helped lead the project to help ZONE's future from happening." Yusei chuckled. "Ahh. Then it worked, because that's what Lazar _wanted _you to think." Everyone was even more confused.

"You see, it all started after the incident with ZONE..." Yusei started as he recalled the events from years ago.

_Flashback_

Yusei sat at home, a couple days after the ZONE incident. Everyone heard what he had said, so they all knew what they had to do. After handling many awkward interviews, Yusei finally had time to himself. Or so he thought. The phone rang and Yusei went to get it. "Hello?" Yusei asked.

"Yusei. This is Lazar. How are you doing?" Yusei was slow to answer. "O...kay," he replied slowly, "What's up?" He could see Lazar smiling, even without a video chat. "I need you to come downtown to the mayor's office. I have something to ask you. Is about 7 good for you?" Yusei shrugged. "It's good for me and I'll be sure to be there." He hanged up the phone, after they said goodbye, with a serious look on his face. 'I wonder what Lazar wants,' he thought.

Later, Yusei walked into the city hall and went to the front desk. "Lazar needed to see me," he said in a serious tone. Of course, like much of the public, the receptionist was shocked that the "great Yusei Fudo" was in front of her. Yusei rolled his eyes, until she finally instructed him on where Lazar was. Yusei went upstairs, by elevator, and found Lazar's room with his name on it. Yusei knocked loudly and it hurt his knuckles on the hard, metal door.

"Come in," Lazar replied and the door opened. Yusei walked to a large desk and saw Lazar sitting at it, surrounded by two security guards. "Have a seat," Lazar suggested. He then made a waving motion, as the two security guards left the room, leaving them alone. Once the door shut, making the only noise in the room, Lazar folded his fingers into his hands.

"So Yusei. How are you?" Lazar asked. "Good," Yusei replied, "Now why did you call me here Lazar?" Lazar got up and looked to his right. "Yusei. You know about the future that ZONE predicted. With the Syncro Summoning and all that leading to the end of the world?"

"Yeah," Yusei replied slowly, "What's your point?" Lazar smiled. "Well...I have assembled a team to work on the project of controlling Momentum and I need some help. You'd like to help New Domino City wouldn't you?" Yusei's face brightened. "Of course," he replied, "My friends and family live here. So I want them to be safe and sound." Lazar nodded.

"Good. So, how you feel about heading the project?"

Yusei's face turned stunned. Why would he be heading the project? Yusei then asked Lazar that very question. "Why would I be heading the project?" he asked, "What qualifications do I have?" Lazar smiled. "Well...you are a genius after all."

Yusei instantly put both hands on the table and pushed himself out of his chair. "I'm not a genius!" he snapped, "Why on Earth would you even say that?" Lazar shrugged. "Well, you are a fantastic duelist as well as good at dealing with Duel Runners and such." Yusei leaned even farther forward. "I got a high school level education from Martha and I learned about Duel Runners, mostly from experience! The only reason I know a tiny bit of calculus and physics, is because they were _connected __to Duel Runners. Not because I sat down and studied the subject._ I never got a college education and have never sat down and studied textbooks after learning from Martha. With all of that in mind, I think that I hardly qualifies me as being a 'genius.' Besides, outside of dueling and Duel Runners, what other things am I smart at?"

Instead of answering the question directly, Lazar instead tried to dance around the question. "Well, your father was a scientist you know?" Yusei rolled his eyes and hit both hands on the table. Was Lazar serious? He was going to say that, just because his dad was a scientist, that it made him qualified for the job? Yusei looked at Lazar. "Just because my father was a scientist does not mean that I am just as smart as him in science," Yusei replied firmly, "He never taught me anything about Momentum or any of that stuff, so I am clearly not smart enough for the job!" He looked Lazar in the eyes and wanted to pull him by the collar. Still, he refrained. "I'm not a genius and I'm not that smart. Why are you trying to give me a job I am clearly not qualified for?" Lazar closed his eyes and then opened them after a moment.

"Well, you do want to become a scientist just like him, don't you?" It was Yusei's turn to close his eyes and he took a deep breath. He hadn't told anyone this before, but if there was a first time for everything, it was right now. "Look Lazar. I've thought about what my Dad did and what happened with Zero Reverse. I've thought about it until I'm blue in the face, but I know that he was a good guy and did his best to do what was right. I've learned that, accepted that, and now I am moving on from that. Whatever anyone else says is wrong, because I know the truth. So when people start asking me if I want to be like my Dad or try to be better than him, I am going to tell them that, 'No and I do not want to become a scientist just like him. That has never been my goal or plan for my life.'" Lazar raised his eyebrows and Yusei again looked firmly at him.

"I want to live my own life and be known for what _I __did. _Not what my father did. I'm tired of living in his shadow and I'm tired of people talking about him, when they're also talking about me. I want to only be known and recognized for things _I have accomplished._ What my Dad did is what my Dad did and I'm sick and tired of what he did coming into what I'm trying to do. So, no Lazar. I do not want to become a scientist just like him and I do not care about trying to look better or surpassing him. I want to live my own life and do what I want to do, with people remembering me for only what I did." Lazar nodded.

"I understand," he replied, "But what about helping New Domino City. Don't you want to help them out?" Yusei sighed. "Yes, but if it's on this project, then I will only do it if I have a very small part. Like I said, I'm not qualified for being head of the job." Before Yusei could continue, Lazar responded. "Oh, but you are plenty qualified." Yusei looked confused at him.

"You see Yusei. This project is going to cost money. Now, if we have a random scientist at the head of the project, people will not know them and they will not have a ton of trust in what they have to say. However, if you are head of the project, the support for legislation and money for the project will be off the charts. If we have you at the head, then the project will, without a doubt, be a success. It's not just the public and lawmakers who would support it, but also the workers. Do you know how happy they would be if the 'great Yusei Fudo' was working along side with them? They would be so happy and want to work even harder." Yusei did think it made sense.

"Well...I suppose you're right. But at the same time, would I have to do anything big? Besides just being a billboard for the project?" Lazar shook his head. "You would just have to give a few updates on how the project was going and just observe some testing sessions. Plus, just be yourself, and encourage the other scientists to keep doing a good job." Yusei thought about it and Lazar slid a piece of paper in front of him. "This would be your salary and, like I said before Yusei, you wouldn't be doing much work." Yusei lifted the paper and gasped.

"This is my salary?" he asked, "But what about the other scientists? They have put more hours of work into this and they have studied the subject for years! Aren't they going to be upset?" Lazar shook his head. "They're going be so happy that they get work with the Yusei who saved our city twice, that it won't matter how much you're being paid. Besides, your salary is safe with me and it will never leave this room."

Yusei looked at the paper again and thought about it. He would get to help New Domino City, leave the work to the professionals, and not have to do much at all. It sounded like it would be a good fit. Still, Yusei felt worried and had some doubts. Lazar took notice of this. "Why don't you take the weekend to think about it?" Lazar suggested, "And come in Monday morning to tell me your decision." Yusei got up and put the note into his pocket. He walked home, hearing people call to him, and he gave a small wave back.

As he sat at home, Yusei felt guilty that everyone else knew about the subject besides him. At the very least, he should at least try to learn some of the basics and try to know more about the subject. He went online and printed out a few pages, just giving him the basics about the subject. He sat down on his bed and started studying.

A few hours later...

"Okay," Yusei said out loud and closed his eyes, "Momentum is energy..." He paused. "Uh," he replied and checked back to what he had on paper. He had been trying for a few hours, but he always stumbled on a portion of what was on paper. Not to mention the fact that this was just the basics. He hadn't even gotten close to the years and years of information that the other scientists surely knew and had studied about. Yusei decided he had done enough studying and went back to the window. Crow and Jack had moved out, leaving him all alone. He looked out and thought about the city of New Domino. He thought about how he should try to save it once more. He then thought about the people who lived there, including someone special, who he still couldn't admit his feelings for.

"Akiza," he said in a whisper.

On Monday, Yusei went back to city hall. He then went to Lazar's office. "Okay Lazar. I'll help out on the project." Lazar clapped his hands. "Wonderful," he replied and gave him a white robe. "Here. This is for you." Yusei put the lap coat on. "Now follow me." He did and Lazar led him to his office. "This will be your office when you do not have to help with the testing and speeches." Yusei looked around. It was rather large, with a computer, and plenty of space. He sat down on the swivel chair. "There's a room just across the hall for video calls. So you're free to make them as often as you'd like." Lazar gave him a key, which was a white box. Yusei nodded as he looked at it. He wanted to check in on a certain someone, but he knew now wasn't the time.

"Okay," Lazar continued, "Let me show you to the place where everything will be happening." Yusei followed him and they went to a incredibly large room. Yusei saw a large, circular podium near the middle of one of the spaces. It had a few other similar looking work spaces as well. "This podium will be where you stand and look over the project," Lazar continued. People working at the desks in front of him turned around and smiled at him. They all rushed over and wanted to shake his hand. Yusei shook everyone of them and they all seemed giddy at just getting to touch his hand. Yusei sighed very quietly once he was done, as he didn't care for all the attention.

"Now," Lazar continued, "You will be looking at that area right there." Lazar pointed to a large, circular reactor. "Below it, is a model of New Domino City and all of the connections to where the energy will go, to help power places in the city." Yusei could see that there were numbers and little model towers of the city below. Lazar then got his attention back to the task at hand. "Now, we are going to run a few tests," Lazar instructed him. He then motioned to the large computer board in front on him.

"If there is ever an error, with flashing red lights, just press this red button," Lazar instructed him as there was a large button on the dash. "The rest of this, you really do not have to worry about, although there will be a final code that you have to come up with. These guys will tell you when and how to do that. For right now, just focus on that button." Lazar then stepped away. "Okay. Run test!" The lights dimmed as the the test began.

The other scientists ran off things such as viruses, errors, and such. Lazar walked up to one of them and whispered something. They nodded and typed something into a computer. Suddenly, the large Momentum reactor had a large red light on in the back, and Yusei quickly hit the red button. The lights went back on and Lazar came up to him. "Good job Yusei. We avoided a error, so that's something we'll have to fix. Until then, you are free to roam the building or you can get to you know your co-workers." Yusei nodded. "I think I'll stay here," he replied.

Lazar walked off and Yusei watched as the other scientists stayed busy on their computers, typing very, very quickly. They started talking in a language that Yusei didn't understand. They used big words that meant nothing to him and he finally spoke up, once it was silent. "So, um...is there anything I can do?" One of the scientists turned to him.

"No Dr. Fudo. It's okay." Yusei's eyes narrowed. "Wait? What did you call me?" he asked in disbelief. The scientist faced him. "Doctor Fudo," he replied. Yusei frowned. "I am in no position to be called 'doctor,'" he replied firmly, "Why are you calling me by that?" A female doctor spoke up. "Lazar told us that we should call you 'Dr. Fudo,' because you were head of this operation." Yusei rolled his eyes. Was Lazar serious? He had been over this before, but he didn't feel like telling him again.

Yusei was quickly learning that Lazar looked at him as though he could do no wrong. He thought he was a genius, that he wanted to be a scientist just like his Dad, that he deserved to be called "doctor", and that he was so popular and celebrity like, that he could use his face to help pass legislation to fund the project. Yusei looked around at the team of scientists in front of him.

"Look, no one here is calling me 'doctor' all right!?" Yusei was literally shouting. "I have never earned a college degree like all of you guys have and I am not a genius like Lazar thinks I am." Another scientist spoke up. "But Lazar said we should call you 'doctor.' Besides, he's going to be calling you that too." Yusei sighed and spoke in a much calmer tone, as he put his hand to his face. "Well, when Lazar says it, I'll just suck it up. Trust me. I had to deal with calling people by a certain name before." Yusei was referring to having to call Jack "king", but he decided to leave that part out. Otherwise, they would all want to hear more. "So what should we call you?" the female scientist asked.

"How about chief?" the one with glasses and short brown hair suggested. Yusei put his hands in the air. "Chief. Sir. Mister. Whatever! I don't care! Just don't call me doctor! I am in no position to be called that, because I am not a genius and have not earned a college degree." Yusei looked out over his crew. "Yes chief," they replied in unison and went back to work. Yusei smiled at being called something that he deserved for a change.

Yusei saw the other work areas of people working and decided to visit them. Like Lazar had said, they were all in awe of meeting him. They called him doctor as well, but Yusei told them about the agreement he made with his area. One of the groups was headed by ZigZix and Yusei found him to be a rather odd ball. Still, Yusei went around and asked if there was anything to do. They all told him "no" and he headed back to his work area. When he did, one of his scientists went up to him.

"Yusei! You're never going to believe it! Not only did I fix the error from before, but then I used the Calmistradic Administrator to help change the Sector Maldahyder. That way..." The scientist continued to go on and have words that went way over Yusei's head. When he was finished, he showed him the paper he printed out. "Isn't that great?" Yusei just stared at him. "Um...yeah. It's great...um...what's your name?" George smiled. "George," he replied. Yusei smiled. "George. Keep up the good work."

"Yes chief!" he replied and went back to his work area. Yusei followed him and spoke to his group. "Hey you guys! George just made a discovery and I want you to know that, if you do something good, I want to make you feel appreciated." George smiled. "Now keep up the good work. The faster this is done, the better." Everyone nodded and they went back to work. Yusei left and went outside, to explore the building some more. He greeted some of the other workers and then went back to his office for lunch. As he ate, Lazar came in.

"All right Yusei. In a few hours you're going to make a speech." Yusei's mouth was full of a sandwich, but he still talked anyways. "A sbleech?" he asked. Lazar nodded. "Yes. It'll say that you're on board with the project and tell them that we're going to get this done as soon as possible." Yusei swallowed and looked at him. "Lazar. What's the big deal? Just let us take our time and make sure we do it right." Lazar frowned. "No Dr. Fudo! We must get this done as soon as possible, which means that you keep encouraging your scientists! Now I'm going to go in and tell them to hurry up." Yusei frowned at two things that he said: calling him doctor and trying to get them done as fast as possible. As Lazar left, Yusei could only roll his eyes.

'This is going to be a long process,' he thought.

A few hours later, Yusei walked up to a podium just outside of the city hall. A bunch of reporters took his picture as he nervously adjusted his collar. Yusei may have been good when he talked to his friends, but he got extremely nervous talking in public. Of course, there was also someone else that he got nervous and shy around, but that was for another time. Right now, he focused on saying what was on the paper in front of him and he wasn't going to be questioned afterward.

"Um...hello," Yusei started, "I'm Yusei Fudo and I'm here to announce that I will be heading the project to stop ZONE's future from happening. I hope you will help support and fund this project, because I am such a believer in this project." People behind the reporters cheered and Yusei looked down nervously. He wasn't smiling and didn't look happy. He continued as he read from the script.

A script that made him sick to his stomach.

Not only did the speech talk about what they were going to do, but it made it sound as though he was going to be working on the whole thing by himself. Yusei couldn't take it anymore and finally broke away from the script. "You know, there are also some other people working on the project, besides myself, and they will be doing most of the work." Yusei continued and told them about what had happened earlier with George.

Back in the mayor's office, Lazar watched Yusei's press conference. "What is he doing?" Lazar wondered. He listened to what Yusei had to say about the incident and he shrugged. "Okay. He's not perfectly on script, but he is mentioning the progress of the project. So, I guess this might be a good thing." Outside, Yusei went back to the script and had to muster through the lies in the speech. He finally got to the end.

"I thank you for your time and hope you will support the project," he finished without any enthusiasm. The crowd in back seemed the complete opposite and cheered loudly. As Yusei walked back inside, Lazar greeted him. "Good job Yusei. I look forward to hearing your next speech." Yusei nodded and walked away. "Yeah. Sure," he muttered under his breath.

Later on, as before, Yusei had nothing to do. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was curious as to what everyone was saying about him and his speech. He went to a news website and skimmed through the article. Sure enough, all of the quotes were about _what he was going_ _to do and he saw almost no mention of any of the other scientists._ Yusei went to the comment section and had to refrain from throwing up in his mouth.

"Great for Yusei! I can't wait to see him be in charge of this project!" one comment wrote. Yusei nearly gagged at the next one. "This man is a genius! First he saves New Domino City and now he's head of this project! Is there anything he can't do?" Yusei read through the rest of the comments, all praising him, except for a few trolls. Yusei couldn't stand it. Here he was in his office with nothing to do, while the other scientists were busying working on the project, and knew everything there was to know about the subject. This view of him had to change and it had to change soon.

A few weeks later, Yusei had gotten into the normal swing of things. He would meet and greet all of the scientists when he first came in, encouraging them to keep up the good work, even if he had no idea what they were doing. He would walk around the building for another hour or so, mostly for exercise, and encouraging more of the group. Every now and again, mostly right before he left, they would run a test on the reactor. At first, Yusei had to hit the button daily, but there was a day every now and again, where there wouldn't be an error. It was a small improvement, but improvement none the less.

As Yusei was informed of having to give another speech, Yusei visited Lazar in his office. "Do you think I could get the speech a few days before?" Yusei asked, "That way, I could be prepared for it, and give it in a more convincing way?" Lazar nodded. "Sure thing," Lazar replied and sent him the file. Yusei thanked him and went back to his office. He had nothing better to do, so he read through it.

Sure enough, it was just like the last, giving praise and all the attention to him. Yusei smiled as he went through the document and started making changes. A couple days later, Lazar gave him a good luck wish, and Yusei went outside for a update on the project. Instead of following Lazar's speech word for word, almost like the last one, Yusei had made bold changes. He tried to emphasize the other scientist, giving out names of people who were working in the project, even if no one knew who they were. Yusei tried to speed through the parts about him and instead focus on the other people.

Inside, Lazar was upset. "What is he doing?! This is not the speech I gave him!" Unlike last time, where Yusei was unenthusiastic and sounded depressed, Yusei was smiling and bright. He gave praise to the other people working on the project and was more than happy to let them have the credit they deserved. Yusei even snuck in a comment that he felt like a CEO once a company was established, having to do almost nothing, but raking in all the profits. When he was done, Yusei hoped the public opinion would change about him, and finally give credit where credit was due.

"What was that Yusei?" Lazar asked as he met him in the hallway, "That's not the speech I gave to you." Yusei smiled at him with confidence. "Just thought I would make a few creative changes," he replied, "After all, it's not me who should be taking credit when I don't deserve it." Lazar gritted his teeth as Yusei walked away. 'We're lucky the legislation already passed for this,' Lazar thought, 'But I can't let people know the truth about how little work Yusei has to do.' He quickly got out his phone and called a few numbers.

That night, Yusei sipped on some hot chocolate, as he decided to check in on the news about his speech. To his surprise, the article left out most of what he said, and instead focused on the little parts that gave credit to him. He watched a video, which was heavily edited, and only included those same parts. Yusei looked at the comments and they were still praising him like he was a saint. Yusei frowned. This was not what he had hoped for when he made the speech.

A couple weeks later, Yusei and his friends had made major steps on the reactor. Of course, it mostly should go to his friends rather than Yusei himself. Lazar gave him a speech and mentioned, "If this goes like the last speech, then I'll have to start making the speeches myself." Yusei walked away and smiled. "Well, you'd better get ready," he said quietly to himself. He skimmed through the speech and it only mentioned him. Yusei didn't want to have to spend all the time and energy, but he had to do it.

He had to completely rewrite the speech.

Yusei spent the next couple nights on the speech. He got a list of all the other workers and made sure he got their names right, as Yusei was terrible with names. He made sure that he didn't mention himself even once, as he wasn't giving any credit to himself. When Yusei was all done, he smiled and re-read the speech. When he got outside, he smiled, and was confident in what he had to say. It might be the last time he got to do this, so he was going to make sure he got everything off of his chest.

Yusei started by talking about the improvements they made, but he would back it up with who was responsible for it. He talked about what the improvements were going to be made and he had to stumble as he read words he couldn't pronounce. Still, he gave credit to the areas that were working on that section, and when he was all done, he closed with a bang.

"I don't deserve any credit for this project. It's these people who deserve credit, not me. They're the ones staying late and working so hard. I want them to know just how proud of them I am and that I'm happy to be able to see them work on a subject that they love so much. Thank you, but I especially want you to thank them." He walked off the podium and smiled as he came in, even as Lazar wasn't happy with him.

"Yusei! What the heck were you doing?! You're not suppose to be thanking them! You're suppose to be thanking yourself!" Yusei shrugged. "I'm giving credit where credit is due and those scientists are who deserve the credit. We're a team, but they do much more work than I do." Lazar growled. "You know what? Forget about giving speeches! I'll give them myself!" Yusei just kept walking as Lazar's phone went off.

"What?" Lazar shouted. The man on phone waited a moment, before talking. "We have nothing to talk about Yusei. His entire speech was about other people." Lazar growled. "Well, we've already got this plan under control! Just...just make this as small as possible. Write a one paragraph story about him saying the project's going well or something." Lazar hanged up and sighed as now he had to give the speeches himself.

Months later...

Yusei stood and watched as the reactor started up. Yusei folded his arms, as the other scientists worked on their computers. "Chief, the final code, please." Yusei leaned forward and typed "Good Days" into the system. The system had no viruses and no problems were detected. One of the scientists stood up. "Congratulations Chief! The main frame for Fortune has been completed!" Everyone started clapping for him, as Zigzix spun in a circle. The other scientists seemed to be forced by Lazar to give Yusei credit, even though he mostly dealt with encouraging them and helping with a test every now and again. Otherwise, Yusei did almost nothing, and the work was mostly given to the scientists.

As a result, Yusei put his hand up in embarrassment and his faced screamed, "I don't deserve this." Lazar walked up and as usual: "Congratulations are in order Dr. Fudo." Over the past few months, Yusei had kept insisting that Lazar stop calling him that and he did so once more. "Please stop calling me 'doctor,'" Yusei insisted, "I am in no position to be." Like always, Lazar didn't listen and piratically worshiped him like Yusei was perfect.

"No sir," he replied, "You are without a doubt near surpassing your father." Yusei looked away and tried to drown out Lazar's praise, as he didn't care about comparing himself to his father. He wanted to live his own life and be known for his own accomplishments. Finally, Lazar talked about the reactor and how it was linked to other places.

"Yeah," Yusei replied without paying attention to Lazar, "I'm sure we'll be able to avery the future of destruction ZONE told us about." Lazar quickly added. "Thanks to you."

Yusei couldn't deal with that praise, but he knew Lazar wouldn't listen, and he didn't want to get in a fight, especially now. So, like he had to do so many times, he split the difference and emphasized the point he was trying to make. "It's because I had everyone working alongside me. We make a good team."

Lazar looked down. "A team you say? That is certainly something you would say. In the past you once said, 'There is no human being that is unneeded.' With that belief, you rescued New Domino City from the curse placed on us by Yliaster. Now the city can truly be free."

"That is what I was striving for," Yusei replied, as it was the main reason he joined the project in the first place. To help the city, but that was all. Lazar smiled. "I apologize for rushing you in its completion." Everyone mentally rolled their eyes as they knew that was the case. When Lazar was gone, they all teased and joked about it, including Yusei. Sometimes Yusei would have to tell them that Lazar said something to tell them, but everyone knew that it was something about going faster. When they responded, "Is it to move faster?" Yusei would nod, and they would all laugh.

"I will refrain from pushing you any further," Lazar continued, "You should take a break. And please go to the future you must go to." He looked down and turned serious. "However, to be completely honest, I am hoping that the future you decide to go with will continue to go alongside New Domino City." Yusei gasped and couldn't believe Lazar had mentioned that, especially in front of everyone.

"Pardon me," Lazar continued, but a smile was on his face, "I said too much. Now please excuse me." Lazar smiled as he walked away, knowing that he said what he did on purpose. Yusei knew he said that in front of everyone, just to make a point.

Yusei looked out at the city, upset at what Lazar had said.

_End Flashback_

"Why were you so upset?" Leo asked. "Yeah Yusei," Luna continued, "Why did Lazar say that?" Yusei smiled. "Because there was a conversation we had had earlier that day."

_Flashback_

Yusei sat in Lazar's office, telling him the good news of what was in store for the current day. "And so all indications, at least from all the of the scientists I talked to, is that the reactor will work today." Lazar smiled. "That's good. I'm glad to hear it," Lazar replied. Yusei stood up. "Yep and, if it proves to be successful, then I'm out of here." Lazar gasped.

"What?" he asked as he ran in front of him, "You can't leave!" Yusei looked down at him. "Why not? I have no reason to be here." Lazar grabbed onto his leg. "But you must stay here! How else will people still have faith in this project?" Yusei looked confused at him. "What are you talking about?" he asked, "People will still have faith in the project." Lazar shook his head. "No they won't! If you suddenly leave, people will question why. If something happens after you leave, then they'll think that you had something to do with it!" Yusei rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right," Yusei replied and Lazar let go of his leg, as Yusei headed for the door, "I'll find a job somewhere else." Lazar smiled. "And what exactly will you be doing?" Yusei stopped and shrugged. "I'll..." He thought for a moment. "Fix Duel Runners and other vehicles I guess." Lazar smiled. "But will they accept someone with only a high school level education?" Yusei bit his lip nervously. "I'm sure they'll make an exception for me." Lazar stood up.

"But wouldn't there be the chance that people will only want you fixing their stuff? You love working as a team, but isn't there the possibility that they will not want the other mechanics services? You'll be stuck with non-stop work, while the other's services are not wanted. Think about it."

_Yusei Imagines_

Yusei was at a shop and he had just finished cleaning a car. He grabbed a rag and wiped off his dirty hands. "Well, that's finished," he proclaimed as a car drove up, with a Runner hooked on the back. Two other men came over and they watched a woman come out of the car. "Oh thank goodness you're here Yusei! Do you think you could fix my Runner?" Yusei sighed.

"I'm pretty booked up," he replied. He put an arm around one of the workers standing next to him. "This is Josh. He'll be more than happy to fix it and he could do just as good of job, if not better, than me." The woman frowned. "No! I only want the great Yusei fixing my Runner! After all, you did save our city!" Yusei sighed, as he had dealt with people like her before. "Here, let my show you my schedule."

He showed her a book and he quickly flipped through it. Every spot had a name on it and Yusei stopped after a moment. "Now here's Josh's book. Josh opened his and flipped though it. It was mostly blank, except for a few names, which mostly contained his close friends and family. Josh stopped flipping through the book and Yusei put a hand on his shoulder. "It would be better if Josh did it. He would be done much quicker than me and he could have your Runner ready by tomorrow." The woman shook her head.

"No way! I want Yusei or I don't want your service!" Yusei sighed again. "Look, I'm booked for the next few months," he lied, as it was an easy way for the woman's reaction to happen. She turned around and huffed. "Fine! If I can't get Yusei's services, then I don't want to go here." She got back in her car and sped off. Yusei smiled once she was gone.

"Good thing she's out of here, right guys?" He turned and saw Josh and the other worker looking glum. "What's wrong?" Yusei asked. Josh sighed. "People only want your work Yusei. They don't want ours." Yusei went up to them. "Yeah, but we're a team," Yusei replied, "So we should all do our part. I mean, I guess I do get a few more jobs than you guys do..."

"A few?" the other worker replied, "You've always got something to do! We have to spend time working on the other Runners, because we have nothing to do, and then we're stuck telling them that you did it. Otherwise people will get mad that you didn't really work on it." Yusei looked down and hanged his head. "I know," he replied, "But I really do value you guys and you really are great friends." The two of them tossed their rags.

"Forget it Yusei! We can't stand this anymore! Find someone else to give you the spotlight!" Yusei watched them walk away. "Guys? Guys!" Yusei shouted.

_End Imagination_

"You'll be stuck taking all the credit," Lazar remind him, "Plus you'll have endless work." Yusei's eyes softened. He didn't want endless work, let alone other people not being appreciated. He already had to deal with that with the Signers and it made him sick to his stomach at hurting someone very important to him. Yusei turned around. He could start his own business, but he didn't want to deal with all the work and responsibility. Not to mention, taking all the attention. "Well then, what can I do?" Lazar smiled, but in a friendly way.

"If you stay here, you'll have almost no work to do. You'll still have a constant paycheck and you won't have to take credit for the project anymore. Now that it's complete, it doesn't matter who helped with what anymore." Yusei instantly thought of his friends and a question popped into his mind. "Lazar, what about my friends? Could I have a little bit of time, during the day, to keep in touch with them?" Lazar nodded.

"Of course Yusei. I'll help you, not only find a job you want, but also help you stay in tough with whatever you need. Webcams, messaging, and I could even turn one of the video chat rooms into a 'Yusei only' room. You'll have very little work, so you'll be able to stay in touch and spend as much time as you need talking to them." Yusei smiled. This job started sounded better and better. "Plus, you'll be making money, if you ever wanted to start a family."

Yusei gasped and looked away. There was only one person he wanted in his family. Still, he knew her name and he knew his feelings for her, which he had kept inside for so long. He was still to shy to tell her and he worried she would reject him. 'Akiza,' he thought to himself. She was going to go to Germany, but at least now he could stay in touch with her, even with her several hours ahead. Yusei smiled as he turned to Lazar, because his relationship with her would, without a doubt, grow. "Will you help me stay in touch?" he asked. Lazar nodded. "I'll help you stay in touch with your friends, since I know how much you care about them."

Yusei couldn't happier. It might mean slow days, boring hours, and nothing to do. However, if he could stay in touch with his friends, it didn't matter to him how bad the job was. "Will you also help me if I do think of the perfect job or find a new one to go to?" Lazar nodded. "Absolutely. Just promise you'll stay here until you find it." Yusei nodded. "I will," he replied and they shook hands.

_End Flashback_

"Lazar knew there was still a chance of me leaving, so that's why he said that in front of everyone. He wanted me to stay to 'help New Domino City.' If I left, he thought I would disappoint the other scientists. But that's not really the case. They enjoyed my company, even if I had taken some of the credit from them. They knew I cared about them and tried my best to give them credit, so we had no bad feelings. The first few years, I mostly stayed in touch with you guys." Yusei looked at all of his friends and they smiled back. "And then a couple years in, I finally figured out what I wanted to do." Yusei noticed people coming in with food.

"But for now, lets eat!" Everyone cheered as the food was served to them. Akiza gave Yusei a kiss as he sat down. They all drank, ate, and talked as the meal went on. Once the food, plates, and silverware were taken away, Yusei stood up once more. Everyone's eyes were on him yet again. "So what's the second story about Yusei?" he girlfriend asked. Yusei turned to her as he spoke.

"Well like I was saying, I figured out my perfect job." He went over to his computer, awoke it, and typed in a password. "And this, is what I thought of." He pressed enter and everyone gasped.

**A/N: In case you're wondering, this is pretty much my canon for Yusei being a scientist. Sorry if you disagree.**

**Thanks for your patience and please review if you can!  
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	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52!  
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**drytacos: It's okay. Thanks for the review and it's okay if you're busy.  
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**Shinn Tsukishiro: The end is coming soon and I hope you're satisfied with it.**

**Bentstua: You'll get your answer in this Chapter. Hope you're not disappointed! I'm glad you have enjoyed the story so much!  
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**A/B: This is Chapter I've hinted at for quite a while, so I REALLY hope you enjoy it!  
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As Yusei turned on the computer, everyone recognized what was on screen. "That's the Arcadia Movement," Leo noted as he pointed at it. Yusei smiled. "Or was the Arcadia Movement." Everyone was baffled. "Why do you want the Arcadia Movement?" Akiza asked, "I thought it had been turned into office space." Everyone else agreed, but Yusei shook his head.

"No," he replied, "It's actually been empty all these years. So that's why I thought it would be the perfect place to work. So, like Lazar had promised, he helped me decide on what to do with it and how to do it." He flipped to the next slide. "Now, the original Arcadia Movement was a place where psychic duelists came to practice using their powers. As we all know, it was also about trying to create a duelist Army that Sayer was going to be in charge of. Only the most powerful psychics were allowed into the Movement, thus creating the most power dueling Army imaginable." Akiza felt uncomfortable hearing Yusei talk about all of this. Yusei took notice and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"But the Movement was luckily stopped, even if it was the Dark Signers who did most of the damage. Still, the person who was able to finally get away from Sayer's control was you Akiza and I couldn't be more proud of you." Everyone clapped as Akiza shyly waved at them in embarrassment. All eyes turned back to Yusei. "Still, the main goal of the Movement wasn't a good one and I want to change that." Yusei looked back at Akiza. "I thought about just how good I felt when I was helping you Akiza. When we finished our second duel, you were reunited with your parents and you were going to help the Signers. Seeing the smile on your face brought warmth and joy to my heart and it made me smile too. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. Not to mention the joy and happiness I also felt when I got to see you control your powers for the very first time. So, I wanted to help Psychic Duelists control their powers too, just like Akiza did." Everyone smiled.

"So that's it?" Crow asked, "You're just having a place for Psychic Duelists to learn to control their powers?" Yusei shook his head. "That's only the start, but let me continue on the topic of Psychic Duelists." Yusei changed to the next slide. "As I was thinking about Psychic Duelists, I wondered what happened to them. With Sayer gone, were they able to ever control their powers? Were they able to find a place to live? Sadly, Lazar and I did some research and came into contact with many of them. Most were still having some issues with, not only their powers, but also family. Their powers had grown through Sayer's project and that only made their families even more afraid of them. Even though the Movement had some bad goals, it did have some good things like shelter, food, and the comforts of a place to sleep. Most of the Movement still had some of these things, but they were in rough shape. So, Lazar hired some people to fix up the dorm rooms and facilities."

Yusei showed them some slides of the new rooms. Everyone smiled at showing the old and new photos. "The psychic duelists that live here would have everything they need, until they are fully able to control their powers. The rooms that tested them are still in working order and we've updated the technology to help better read their strength and control. We want to make this place as a resource for any psychic duelist who might still be reject their family member. because of their powers. But it's not only on old cases, but any new ones in the future. I want to help these people, young and old alike, to be able to duel again, without feat of hurting someone." Everyone nodded and smiled in agreement.

"But like I told you earlier Crow, this wasn't the only thing I wanted to do. In fact, it was only part of the project." Yusei stopped the slide on a picture of Jaden Yuki and Yugi Moto. He put both hands on the table, as he recalled. "You see, when I dueled with these two guys, they were much different duelists than me. Our standing duel had us all use the same duel disks and decks. But even with our future and lives on the line, these two guys were so laid back. They weren't dueling as though the fate whole world rested on their shoulders. They were relaxed and calm, something that I certainly didn't feel. Every duel I have ever dueled, I treated like it was life and death. But these guys, the guys who were in the record books, didn't duel like that. They might have had different styles, but their feelings and treatment of the game were different. They dueled for fun."

Jack's eyebrows went down. "Wait, you're telling me that during such an important duel, that these guys were dueling as though the game was for fun? Like it didn't matter?" Yusei shook his head. "It mattered, but they treated it so much more differently than we do now. When I look around, it seems as though dueling, and games in general, is too much about winning. We make even the youngest kids growing up so caught up into winning and losing, that we forget what makes these sports and games great. We forget that they're suppose to be fun." Yusei leaned off of the table as Luna spoke up.

"So did you start treating your duels after that one like it was fun?" Yusei shook his head "no." He then sighed. "I promised myself I would try, but as soon as the next duel came, I went back into my old routine. I made every duel won and lost as though I would lose my very soul if I lost. I didn't listen and follow what I saw with them. However..." He flipped to the next slide.

"I might not have applied having fun to my dueling, but I want to try and I want other people to do as well. So, that's why I wanted to also turn the Arcadia Movement into a place where people could duel. Not for wins and losses, but for complete and honest fun. Just like Jaden and Yugi and just like the game should be played. They led the way in trying to make the game of Duel Monsters fun and enjoyable. I want to continue that tradition." Crow raised his hand and Yusei nodded, to let him speak. "But Yusei, dueling is so portable. Why on earth would people come to some place to duel?" Jack nodded as he folded his arms. He didn't seem to happy about the whole ordeal, but this was Jack Atlas after all.

"I knew someone would ask that, so this is where the real fun begins," Yusei replied as he went up to Leo and Luna. "Now you guys, growing up, didn't it get tiring of having to duel each other time and time again?" Leo and Luna looked at one another. "Well..." Leo started. Luna knew what he was going to say and she nodded, giving him approval. "Yeah it did," Leo finally admitted, "I mean, we didn't duel a lot because of Luna's illness, but we basically knew what was going to happen every time. We knew what our ace monsters were, what they did, that it did get kind of repetitive. We did duel Dexter a few times, but even then it got boring." Yusei nodded and went back to the front of the table.

"See, that's what a lot of kids deal with, even growing up." Yusei turned to Crow and Jack. "It's fun to duel each other, but after a while, it gets rather boring and repetitive. So, this would be a place where people will want to come and duel." Jack still wasn't convinced. "But kids duel at Duel Academy, why in the world would they duel here?" Yusei smiled.

"I'm glad you mentioned Duel Academy Jack." He flipped to the next slide. "You see, schools have a tight budget. So, we've offered to take the tutors in and, this way, students can practice their dueling here. They can get better, they can be helped with areas that they are having trouble in, and we would offer shuttles to take them here after school. So, we could have kids that need help dueling here. They would receive the same training and learning at Duel Academy, but with more options." Yusei turned to Luna. "Because what are the Duel fields used for after school Luna?" Luna thought about it.

"Well...the school teams use them, at least when Leo and I were here, so we couldn't use the fields after school." Yusei smiled. "And so, with the wide available space of the Movement, kids could have a place to actually duel here, and be able to try out their moves in an actually duel. However, dueling would not only for the kids being tutored. There is a separate room where any kids could duel one another. We've installed seating in all of the dueling rooms, so it would be like they are dueling in a professional tournament. The kids' room would be a place where kids wouldn't be graded on their moves or how well they dueled. Instead they could just lay back and duel for fun, as well as practice for school. Not to mention, if many different kids of age and skill level were here, it would offer them a good way to improve. Plus, they could meet new friends." Crow sighed.

"Yusei, you're not going to give us another one of your boring bond or friend speeches are you?" Yusei shook his head. "Nah. I'm done with that, but I just wanted to stress that it could be a fun place to duel after school." Jack still looked upset. "But what are you going to do with the place when kids are at school?" Jack questioned. Again, Yusei was ready.

"Why not offer it to senior citizens Jack? Dueling shouldn't just be for kids. It should be for people of all ages. We have a few rooms that are great for pot lucks and other get-together events. We could have them duel and then have lunch afterwards. Think of it as a Duel and Dine type of thing." Everyone giggled at Yusei's cheesy name. "This way, senior citizens could forget about having to be sick or worry about other things. Instead, they could enjoy something that helps them relive what they grew up with. We would be more than happy to make special accommodations or close a part of the building down just for them. Dueling should be for all ages, which is why I want to get to my next point." He flipped again to another slide.

"Also, why not invite little kids to help them learn how to duel? After all, the best way to show kids that dueling is suppose to be fun, is by teaching them this early on. We have some classrooms left over from the Movement that would be perfect for this. Teaching them the basics of Dueling would not only let them duel early on, but it would be a great way for them to be ready for Duel Academy. They would also be taught the basic ABC's and 123's as well. The tutors would serve as teachers and they could hold these classes during the day, while older kids are at school. They could also do them at night and parents could duel while their kid was at class. Then, they could pick them up and take them home when they were done. And speaking of nighttime.." Yusei turned to another slide.

"As I said before, dueling should be for all ages. At night, why not invite adults to come over and duel? After a hard day at work, it would be nice to do something relaxing and fun. We could serve drinks and offer a chance for them to meet and mingle with one another. Plus, some people might find that special someone there." Everyone rolled their eyes. "And, best of all, there are tons of possibilities on special nights. Guys and Gals nights obviously, but also for certain groups to meet or have a meeting there. Then, before or after, they could duel, and have fun." Again, Jack wasn't convinced.

"This all sounds fine and dandy Yusei, but what really would make someone leave the comforts of home to go duel at someplace for fun?" Yusei smiled. "Well, this might be the best reason." He flipped to the next slide. "We have teamed up with the couple of dueling shops in town, to help offer cards and packs, to help run a shop at the building. However, Lazar managed to get somethings that wouldn't be available anywhere else." He held up a pack of cards with a green outline. "This is a 'preview pack.' How many times have you opened a pack of cards and only found a couple of cards that you can use?"

"All the time," Leo responded. Yusei smiled. "Then this what we would offer. All of the cards have a digital casing." He flipped to show the green outline. "And only the employees can take them off and there are security codes on them, so that they aren't stolen. They couldn't use the cards either, once they leave the building, so this also protects against using them illegally. What you would do, is buy a pack, and then see what's inside. Then, you could practice dueling with the new cards or deck and choose which ones you want to keep and which ones you don't. Next, the cards that you want would be given to you. And, since no card is worthless, the rest would be either donated to poorer kids or the Facility. Trudge said that the inmate dueling has helped lower the amount of violence in the Facility significantly and, this way, they could have more inmates duel. Not to mention, poorer kids could still build a deck, to help take their mind away from the financial problems they have. Plus..."

Yusei then showed them a pack with a duelist picture on it. "Wouldn't it be cool to have some of the same cards as a professional duelist?" Yusei looked at Leo. "Growing up Leo, didn't you ever want to have some of the same cards as Jack did?" Leo nodded and Jack smiled proudly. "Well now you can. Lazar and the shops also got a deal for 'Duelists Packs.' Each one would have a some of the same cards that some of the top Professional Duelists would have. It would be great to have some of the same cards they do, without having to by pack after pack after pack. Plus, it could help raise awareness to duelists that might not be as well known, and it would allow the fans to be more interacted with the duelists." Leo stood up excitedly.

"So are you saying that one day there might be a 'Leo Pack' made in honor of me?" Yusei turned to him. "Possibly," he replied, "And this could help you gain more fans and more attention from other duelists. Not to mention a kid might be learning how to duel and pick your deck type to follow." Leo grinned widely at the thought of a bunch fans surrounding him.

_Leo Imagines_

A bunch of little kids looked at him, as he bended down to their height. "I just got my first deck Leo and I modeled it after yours!" Leo smiled at the girl. "That's great," he replied. A boy showed him a card. "I've got this card, just like you Leo." Leo smiled again. "And I want to grow up and be a professional duelist just like you!" Leo scratched the back of his head and blushed.

_Leo stopped imagining_

"So, you see, the Movement's not just about helping Psychic Duelists. Of course, I shouldn't call it the Movement, I should call it by it's real name." Yusei flipped to the next slide and everyone gasped. Akiza blushed as she saw the name on the slide. "The Yusei and Akiza Dueling Center?" Luna read aloud. Yusei turned around and nodded. "Of course." He went and hugged Akiza. "I wanted it to be honor of both of us," he replied, "Especially since there's something very important I wanted to ask you." Akiza gasped. "What's that?" she wondered. Yusei held her hand and stepped back.

"I wanted to know if you would accept a job at the Center, instead of New Domino City Hospital? You wouldn't have to do anything serious, as there would be another one to handle those situations, as well as calling 911 in emergencies. Plus, I would have you pick out the doctor that would be working with you. On top of that, you would be able to help psychic duelists, in your free time, to help them control their powers. When Lazar and I looked at the records Akiza, you were the strongest psychic duelist that attended the Movement, besides Sayer. But now that he's gone, you're the most powerful Psychic Duelist in the world. If you can control your powers, then I'm sure you could help others too. It would be great to work alongside you and have you by my side to promote dueling as a fun thing to do, without being so competitive." Akiza blushed and she felt tears in her eyes at the offer.

"So, will you work me at the Dueling Center?" Akiza finally let the tears fall. "Oh Yusei. You helped release me from Sayer's grasp, you helped me and my family get back together, you helped me with all of the Signer stuff, you helped support me becoming a doctor, and now you're offering me a job." They stared into one another's eyes. "Yes Yusei. I will work with you at the Dueling Center. I want to help people both physically and dueling wise. Helping psychic duelist and being a doctor sounds wonderful. I fully support your goal of having dueling for fun and I would love to work with you." She gave him a hug and Yusei started crying too. They both cried and Akiza leaned back, before placing a kiss on his lips. Yusei smiled and gave her one back. Akiza sat down and Yusei walked up to Luna.

"Now Luna, you're trying to become a teacher right?" Luna nodded. "Well, how would you feel about working at the Dueling Center too? You could teach kids the basics of dueling. You would be able to give the kids their very first card and help them make their very first deck. You could also teach older people as well, who do not know how to duel. Not only that, but you could help tutor older kids and help them when it came to homework and school. Would you like that?" Luna smiled. It wasn't what she had thought about doing, but if it meant becoming a teacher and getting to work with her friends, then it was a job she would take.

"Yes Yusei!" She stood up and hugged him. "I'd be more than happy to work with you two at the Center!" Yusei smiled as Luna couldn't help, but give him a peck on the cheek. Yusei took a few steps and faced her boyfriend. "Dexter, I know you're going to become an accountant. Correct?" Dexter nodded. "Well, in order to join the center, people have to pay a fee. I know it sounds bad, but we have to make money in order to keep up and running. Not to mention there's the cost of food, shelter, and many other costs that we need to keep track of. So, how would want to be our head accountant?" Dexter gasped.

"That sounds wonderful Yusei!" He gave him a hug. "But wait!" he noted as he leaned back, "Luna and I haven't completed our degrees yet. So, how can we work there?" Luna suddenly realized this too, but Yusei continued smiling. "I know," he replied, "And I want you guys to take your time. However, once you finish your degrees, you'll have a job waiting in the wings for you. You'll be head of your areas, as well as Akiza. We'll hold meetings every week or so and gauge how we are doing." He walked back to the front of the large table.

"Lazar is in charge of a lot of things, kind of like a CEO, but I am the one who ultimately gets to make decisions and judge what we could do. It was my idea for the center and it sounded even better once I realized I could work with my friends. However, I'm not going to run my employees like they are a number. I'll be like the HR director of the building and I'll be putting my employees ahead of money. It might be a business, but money is not my first priority. It will be a business where happy workers are productive workers and I'm putting you guys first. If there is something that is going wrong or needs help with, I will do everything in my power to help you guys pull through. If there is a problem, I will be more than happy to talk and stand up for you. I'll check on you guys often and make sure you're doing okay. My goal with this center was so many things: helping psychic duelists, teaching people how to duel, and having a place to duel for fun. However, when the pieces started falling into place and the Movement had more space than I knew existed, it made everything a whole lot easier." Dexter raised his hand. "How did Lazar influence you, because you said you had to work along side him?" Yusei nodded and continued.

"Lazar has helped out on the project as well, mostly because he thinks anything with my name on it is golden. That's why he hired me for the Project of working on Momentum. I hated that job and it was mostly due to credit not being where credit was due. However, at this job, you guys will be getting the credit you deserve, and I'll be letting you guys take the glory with it. I won't have to worry about taking the spotlight now, as I did that too much in the past. I promised you guys I would repay you back for doing that and this is how I'm doing it. By offering you guys jobs." He looked at Leo.

"And I haven't forgotten about you Leo. How would you like to stop in every now and again, not only to check in on us, but to talk to kids as well? You could spread your not using a fist and instead use a disk slogan. Plus, you could sign autographs for people and get to know your fans more too." Leo stood up. "Oh yeah! That'd be great!" He got up and they shook hands. "You guys can are invited as well," Yusei added as he turned to Crow and Jack. Crow gave him a thumbs up, but Jack was still serious looking.

"What are you going to do to promote Turbo Dueling?" Jack asked. Yusei bit his lip. This was the most nervous part of the speech he was looking to and Jack continued to ask him questions. "Where are you going to have a training track?" Jack continued, "Are the tutors also going to teach the training classes too?" Yusei finally faced Jack. "Look Jack. There is nothing related to Turbo Dueling when it comes to the Dueling Center. It was one of the first decisions that we made." Jack stood up with anger in his eyes.

"No Turbo Dueling? Why not Yusei? It's clearly a part of dueling." Yusei frowned. "But Jack I want to encourage dueling for as many people as I can. Most people can't afford a Duel Runner." Jack rolled his eyes. "Are you going to continue with these lame excuses. Be honest Yusei. Why don't you want Turbo Dueling as part of the Center? Ever since we all left, it's become non-exsistant in your life." Yusei had tried explaining to him already, but Jack never listened. So, he went to different points as he pointed at him.

"You want straight answers? Fine! I'll give you straight answers. First of all, I don't have time for it anymore. How much more obvious can that be? Second, I actually enjoy being in a car. It's warm, I can listen to the radio, and you can have things and people inside of it. Plus, it's safe for everyone, including if I have other people in the car. Most notably is Akiza. I want her to be safe and when I realized that a car is a million times safer, a Duel Runner didn't make as much sense to drive around. Plus, I can't ride a Runner for a majority of the year. Bad weather and winter are obvious reasons. On top of that, a car is quieter, more spacy, and you can actually talk to one another. If Akiza's with me, I want to talk with her, and have a conversation." Yusei turned to Akiza and she smiled. The fact that Yusei wanted to ride a car for both safety and to talk to her was very thoughtful.

"As for the center, the first reason is that Duel Academy already offers Turbo Duel training and the people that teach the lessons are already teachers there. So, not only does Duel Academy offer it, but they are employees that work for them. The tutors were a separate deal, because the only tutored and did nothing more. The school had to provide and pay them. We wanted to help Duel Academy save money, and since they get money for the training classes, that wouldn't be helping them. In return for paying for tutors, they would help promote the Center, and the kids would be shuttled over there, to help them be tutored. On top of that Jack, there is no room in the city for a track to give a Turbo Dueling License test. Plus, I didn't want to have to deal with biker gangs hanging around, and picking on kids that can't Turbo Duel. Dexter's failed his Driving Exam 3 times! How fair is it to mock him if he can't drive?!" Dexter looked down in sadness and Luna put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Luna had tried to help, but Dexter still had failed. Yusei knew that Dexter felt very depressed after each test, so he apologized. "Sorry Dexter, but I had to make a point." He turned back to Jack. "Most of all, I didn't want someone to get hurt. I can't imagine the pain I would feel if someone got seriously hurt Turbo Dueling at the Center." Jack fired back.

"Put a 'not responsible for accidents' clam when they sign up!" Jack responded, "You rode your dang Runner for some of the biggest and most favorite duels of your life," Yusei now had the chance to fire back. "Wrong on both of those Jack! Having a 'not responsible for accident' clause doesn't take away the fact that someone could still get seriously hurt! Plus my favorite duels were Standing Duels not Turbo Dueling." Everyone, except for Akiza, gasped.

"And what were those duels?" Jack asked. Yusei went over and put his arm around Akiza. "My favorite duels to ever be a part of were the ones that I dueled Akiza and helping her turn her life around. The Turbo Duel I loved watching the most was the one where Akiza summoned Stardust Dragon and Black Rose Dragon on the same field. However, I was not dueling during that one and instead watched from the sidelines." Jack growled. "Are you saying that all those duels with me are not on your list?" Yusei smiled confidently.

"No Jack. They're not even close and can't compare to the joy I had in helping Akiza turn her life around." Akiza and Yusei smiled at one another. Jack quickly got up and stormed off. "Whatever Yusei! I will not support you or your center until you apologize to me!" Everyone else watched. "Wait Jack!" Crow shouted. Yusei frowned. He may not want to do as Jack says, but he certainly wanted Jack's support at the very least. "I'm going to follow him," Yusei admitted and headed for the door. Before he got there, a hand was on his shoulder.

"Don't try to..." he almost shouted, until he realized it was Akiza. "I'm coming with you," she replied. Yusei only took a second to figure out his decision. If this was anyone else, he would have said "no." But since it was Akiza, the woman he loved...

"Okay," he responded and the two took each other's hands. The followed where they saw Jack storm over to. Akiza asked a few workers if they saw him and they pointed to another room. Yusei and Akiza noticed no one else inside. They opened the door and waited a moment. Yusei stood, still holding Akiza's hand. He finally broke the silence. "Look Jack. I'm sorry..."

"Now you listen!" Jack shouted and turned around. Yusei quickly put both arms around Akiza to protect her. Jack had made a fist as well, but he put it down and he talked in a softer voice. "I'm...I'm sorry." Akiza and Yusei were surprised and Jack continued.

"I...understand why you don't ride your Runner anymore," he continued, "You want to keep your friends and yourself safe, but more importantly, to keep the woman you love safe. I...can't imagine what I would do if I was on my Runner with my girlfriend and Carly fell off. There's nothing between you and hard pavement to protect you. Not to mention the rate of speed you're going and all that stuff. With a car, you have airbags, seat belts, and other safety devices. Plus, it is warmer, roomier, quieter, and easier to have a conversation in. Not to mention music. So, it is more comfortable in a car or other vehicle." Jack looked away and the couple watched him.

"I...also admit that there are sometimes that a Duel Runner becomes a problem and I don't blame you for this either: you have to keep it maintained, but especially in the Turbo Dueling League. Even though I have people that work on it, I sometimes have wish that I could just go the stadium and not have to worry about if the engine's going to hold up or stuff like that. Sometimes...I would just like to duel and not have to worry about that stuff." Yusei smiled.

"I know where this comes from," Yusei replied, "You sometimes crave just a good old standing duel." Jack turned to him. "I do not!" Jack replied with his volume going up in his voice. Yusei looked at Akiza and winked. Akiza giggled and Yusei turned back to Jack, still having both arms around Akiza. "I remember a time when you wanted nothing more than to do a standing duel."

_Flashback_

"We had gotten our own Duel Disks for Christmas," Yusei recalled, "We couldn't wait and try them out. It was fun seeing our cards come to life, right before our eyes. No more having to duel on a table the old fashioned way. It was so much cooler to watch our monsters really attack and battle one another. But the person who couldn't get enough of a Standing Duel was you Jack. In fact, one night that spring..."

It was very warm and late at night as Yusei and Crow yawned. Crow was dueling Jack for what felt like the millionth time that day. A light on the porch was their only light and it was getting late. "Come on Jack," Crow replied after he let Jack win, "Lets go inside and go to bed. It's late." But Jack was not up for it. "No way!" he replied, "Your both a bunch of sissy's! Come on and duel me!" Yusei sighed. "Crow's right Jack. Lets just go inside and we can duel tomorrow!" Jack couldn't stand it. "You're both going to stop dueling me?" Crow leaned on Yusei. Even though Yusei might have been scrawnier than Crow, his little bit of extra height was worth it. "Pretty much," Crow replied, "Lets go Yusei." They headed for the door.

"You're a bunch of wimps! I'm going to go out there and find someone else who can duel me!" Jack turned around and ran off. "Wait Jack!" Crow replied. Yusei put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. If this is what Jack wanted, then they should let him go. Besides, there was someone else who could give a much better talking to him, than both of them combined.

Later that night, Jack was almost home. "I can't believe I couldn't get one duel out of all those chumps." He opened the door and turned on the kitchen light. There, at the dining room table, sat Martha. "What were you doing out so late?" Martha asked as she had her arms folded. "Martha...I..." Martha stood up. "Crow and Yusei told me all about how you were so into dueling, that you ran off to find someone to duel. Now.." She walked up to him. Even though Jack towered over her, he looked more afraid at her, than she did to him. "Martha. I...just..." She put a hand on his Duel Disk.

"Look Jack, I love that you're enjoying the gift I got for you. But the money I saved for them didn't just drop out of the sky. I wanted them so that you boys could have fun. At the same time though, I didn't expect you to go run off and risk getting hurt Jack. It's dangerous out there, no matter where you live. Being out late at night, by yourself especially, is always asking for trouble." Jack frowned.

"Do you really think that being with Crow and Yusei would have made me safer?" Jack replied, "Crow's a tall as my legs are and Yusei's lucky if he's strong enough to lift pillow." Martha quickly tugged on his ear. "Ow!" he moaned as Martha gave him a mean look. "That may be so Jack, but just because Crow's not very tall and Yusei's not very strong, doesn't mean that they don't care about you. They both love dueling, but they know when it's time to stop Jack. You, on the other hand, don't only know when to stop, but you also take dueling way too seriously." She let go of his ear and Jack held where she was pulling from.

"I want you to promise me that you won't be going out late at night to duel and promise me that you'll try not to take dueling so seriously." Jack sighed. "All right. I promise." Martha smiled, as she caught Jack smiling at her for a brief moment. "Aww. That's my Jack." Jack groaned as she gave him a tight hug. "Martha please..." he moaned, but Martha didn't listen. "I know that you come off as this big, bad guy, but I know deep down inside, you're a big softy." Jack rolled his eyes as Martha laughed. "Come on Martha, we don't want to wake anyone up," Jack noted and she let go. Jack walked away and gritted his teeth at the thought of being a "softy."

_End Flashback_

"Sure enough, you didn't run off anymore, but the passion you had for standing duels was still there," Yusei continued, "Until a few years later, when we found some blueprints and information about Turbo Dueling. We worked together for a year on Duel Runners, the Fortune Cup happened, the WRGP, and all of that stuff. When ou think about it, it was only about 2-3 years total. For me, after those years, I found more important things in my life." Yusei put his arms around Akiza and they shared a kiss. Yusei turned back to Jack.

"But for you Jack, Turbo Dueling was much bigger than it was for me. But I know that, deep down inside, you still have a passion for a good old fashioned Standing Duel. That fire and passion is never going to go out." Jack closed his eyes and looked upset for a moment. Suddenly, his angry expression turned happy. "Well...you got me there Yusei. I have done a few Standing Duels in between all of the other Turbo Duels." Akiza and Yusei were shocked "But I paid people off to promise that they wouldn't tell the media about it," Jack continued as he walked up to both of them, "Besides, if I do give up or retire from Turbo Dueling, I need something else to keep my face in the spotlight." Akiza and Yusei laughed. After a moment, Yusei stuck out his hand

"So Jack, will you still help support the Dueling Center, even without Turbo Dueling?" Jack stuck out his hand and shook Yusei's hand tightly, making Yusei cringe at how tight it was. "Sure thing," Jack replied, "I'll be more than happy to stop by whenever I can." Yusei and Jack shook on it and let go.

"Come on," Yusei replied as he went back to Akiza's side, "Lets head back to everyone else." They all headed back and, as they walked, Jack took notice how close Yusei and Akiza were. Jack didn't blame for Yusei wanting to keep her safe and he finally understood why he had stopped riding his Runner. At the same time Jack was jealous of Yusei for one reason.

'I sure hope Carly and I can be as close as those two are.'

When they got back to the table, Jack said that Yusei had convinced him to support the Center. For once, Jack didn't mind giving credit to Yusei, because he didn't have to admit to everyone that he was wrong. Once they straightened that out, Crow whispered something to Jack and he laughed. Everyone else, but Yusei and Akiza, did too. "What's so funny?" Yusei asked.

"Well, we were talking about how you two are going to work together," Crow replied, "And we couldn't help, but think you both might be doing it so you can..." Yusei and Akiza made confused looks. "Do what?" Yusei asked. Crow raised his eyebrows and they got the hint. "No. No. That is not it." Crow quickly raised his voice. "How many people think Akiza and Yusei are going to get busy while at work one time raise their hand?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Phht," Jack replied as he made a noise with his mouth, "One time? I think _at least_ 50 times is more like it." Crow put his hand in the air. "Okay, how many people think Yusei and Akiza will get busy at work more than 50 times?" Akiza's jaw dropped. "Crow, we are not going to..." Everyone raised their hands, including her parents. "Mom!" Akiza shouted.

"Well honey, it's just that, even when you older, you father and I still have very frequent..."

"All right Mom!" Akiza replied quickly, "I don't need to hear about my parents love life." Mr. Izinski shrugged. "Well, it's good to know that you can still have fun even when you're older. So, I'm sure if you two are working together, you'll still be doing it..." Yusei's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh! I don't need to hear about that!" he replied and they both hid their faces in embarrassment. Everyone else laughed.

Later, everyone was invited to stay at the twins' and Yusei's apartment. Crow slept on the couch, as Jack slept in Yusei's spare bed, with Yusei in his very own. Despite the nagging of his friends, Yusei didn't want Akiza having to sleep in his apartment. Everyone finally gave in and Akiza slept on the twins' couch, with Leo in his bed, and Luna in hers. That only left Dexter, as he was the last person to visit the bathroom before heading to bed. He didn't know where to sleep, as the couch was taken and so were the beds. He went to Leo's bed and had to shake him pretty hard to awake him.

"Leo! Leo!" Dexter whispered loudly as Leo finally awoke. "Hmmm. What?" he asked. "Where am I sleeping?" Dexter asked as he held onto Akiza's glasses case. She offered it to him and she would put her glasses on a end table. The thing that bothered Dexter the most was that no one had described where he would sleep. They simply said the twins would sleep in their beds and Akiza would stay on the couch. Once that was over, Dexter was left alone, and the other three gentlemen said he was sleeping with the twins and Akiza. Leo smiled as he rolled over. "Go ask Luna," he replied. Dexter sighed loudly and went out to the hall. He went to Luna's room and knocked. "Come in," Luna replied.

Dexter went inside and saw the large bed. Luna sat on the edge of it. "Luna. Where am I sleeping?" he asked, "Am I sleeping on the floor?" He could see Luna smile, even with the alarm clock as he only light. "No silly. Come on in." Dexter blushed as Luna scooted the other side of the bed. Dexter's mind became numb. He had never slept with anyone like this. Sure, there had been a few times when they were little. But so many years later, this was a completely different situation.

"Um...I don't know," he replied nervously. Luna giggled. "Dexter. It's okay. We're not doing it, if that's what you're thinking." Luna could read him like a book and it was almost scary. But Luna knew it was due to the fact of them being friends so long and getting to know Dexter more, especially over these last few years. "I'll take your glasses for you if you'd like." She stuck out her hand. Dexter gulped and took his glasses off. He set them inside the dark red case and Luna put it next to her bed on a nightstand. "Now," she replied, "Come on in." He took teeny tiny, little steps towards the bed. Despite his nervous attempt to get closer, Luna's voice remained calm, inviting, and friendly.

"Don't worry Dexter. Nothing's going to happen. Just come and rest with me." Dexter took a deep breath and pulled himself up onto the large bed. Luna gently pulled the covers over with him. Dexter laid on his side and faced her. Suddenly, Luna scooted closer, and was a breath away from him. "Goodnight Dexter," she replied and put her arm around him. Dexter couldn't stand being so close and the situation felt so awkward. He quickly rolled over and away from her.

"Ummm...goodnight," he replied. Luna leaned up and looked at him. She was surprised, but her face turned to understanding. She followed his lead and rolled onto her other side. Their backs now faced one another. Now, Dexter felt awkward too. He...missed being so close to her. He didn't like to admit it, but it was nice. "Um, Luna," he spoke in a worried voice. Luna stayed still and kept her eyes closed. "Yes Dexter." Dexter took a breath and spoke.

"Could...could we be close like we were before?" They both rolled over and faced on another once more. "You want to be close to me?" Luna asked. Dexter nodded. "Yeah. Could we be close...while we sleep? It...might be kind of nice. I've...never slept with you like this, but it sounds kind of fun to me." Luna smiled. "Me too," she replied. Dexter scooted closer to her and she did the same. Luna put her arms around him and Dexter did the same to her. They both looked at one another.

"I kind of like this," Dexter admitted. "Yeah. Me too," Luna replied. Dexter looked at her face. "You know. This is kind of cool, because I can see eye-to-eye with you. Normally, I have to look up, and you have to look down to see each other. But now, we can be face-to-face." Luna nodded. "Yeah and I like getting to be close to you like this." They both smiled at one another for a moment.

"Are you comfortable?" Dexter asked as he kept his arms around her. Luna nodded. "Yep. Yourself?" Dexter nodded back. They leaned their head on the pillow and sighed contently. Dexter thought about the moment and contemplated something.

'Luna's enjoying this,' he thought, 'If she's enjoying this then maybe I should...' He thought about it for a moment. He looked at Luna happily resting, while she waited for sleep, and she kept her long arms tightly around him. 'Yes. Maybe it is time,' he thought.

**A/N: I hope Yusei's project/plan wasn't a major bummer. I also hope Jack wasn't OOC in this Chapter.**

**Thanks for your patience and thanks for your support!  
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	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53!  
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**A/N:This is the most reviews I've gotten for one Chapter in a long time! Thanks so much!**

**drytacos: Glad you got caught up! I hope you enjoyed the Chapters you got to read!**

**Preaching Red: Really grateful for the review! I'm blushing red! ;)**

**Shinn Tsukishiro: Glad you didn't think Jack was OOC. I thought he wasn't either, but I just wanted to be sure.**

**Bentstua: That's a good idea too. I'm happy you enjoyed my idea as well. There's a question at the end of this Chapter, so I'm curious as to what your answer is.**

**Glad the last Chapter went over well and here's one of the last ones.  
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The next morning, everyone went out for breakfast together. While somethings had changed, with the twins being on better behavior than in their younger years, Jack and Crow still got into a fight at the table. Everyone else pitched in and helped them separate, when Jack told Crow he will never be as good as him.

Going back to the twins, it was relatively a quiet, including on their way to the restaurant. Although Leo knew about what Luna and Dexter had done the night before, he said nothing to either one of them. Luna had told Leo what she wanted to do, especially since it was true that there was no room left for anyone else to sleep, without someone having to sleep on the hard floor. Leo had responded that, as long as their pants stayed on, he was okay with them sleeping in the same bed. Luna asked why he was so calm and not upset. Leo stressed that Luna was a woman and a adult, that could make her own choices. Plus, as much as Leo didn't want to say it, not being able to get pregnant was another reason he didn't have to worry. The couple had enjoyed a good night sleep and enjoyed talking to one another, as they waited for everyone to get up and out of the bathroom. They watched some TV in Luna's room and Luna slightly wished that this could become a regular occurrence.

As for the rest of breakfast, once Jack and Crow stopped fighting, they all enjoyed a good meal. When it came for the bill, Jack and Crow grabbed the bill. To everyone else's surprise they responded, "We'll split it." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as they each got of their wallets and large dollar bills. Despite the good ending, Crow and Jack had to leave that afternoon/evening. They all said goodbye at the airport and Akiza watched as they whispered something each to Yusei. Akiza shrugged it off and thought of it as "guy talk."

The following day, Yusei decided to finally take Akiza to the place that he had revealed to everyone a couple days before. Leo, Luna, and Dexter were enjoying a day together, as Leo would leave later in the day. Akiza had been to the old Arcadia Building and had walked by it a few times, since the Dark Signers. But she hadn't been inside it since Jack had taken her to the hospital, all those years ago. She didn't want to tell Yusei, but she was a little nervous and scared. When they got up to the tall building, with lots of windows, she looked up nervously.

"You nervous?" Yusei asked as he looked at her and held onto her hand. Akiza nodded. Yusei then wrapped both arms around her, regardless of who was watching them. "It's okay," he replied in a calm voice, "I'll be with you the whole time. Unless of course, you have to visit the ladies room. Then I'll have to stand outside and wait for you to relive yourself." Akiza managed a small chuckle out of Yusei, grateful for his awkward confession. Still, they each held the other, as they slowly walked through the revolving doors. When Akiza got inside, she gasped.

She looked up at the main lobby and the seemingly endless levels above them. It was definitely much different than when Sayer was in charge here, as the entrance seemed much more inviting and bright. "It's still not completely done," Yusei replied as she looked around, "So some things will be different in the future. However, that doesn't mean I can't give you a look at what's going on." Yusei guided her to an elevator and they went up a few levels. When they got out, even Yusei got lost, and they had to look at some signs on where to go. Sure enough, they finally found the room, that would be testing psychics.

The room was much brighter and more inviting than before. There were multiple duel fields for people to duel on and the walls were all padded and protected, in case an attack should go wrong. There was an area to watch the duels, as well as a place for computers and analysis. "Only duelists that are shown to be able to control their powers very well will be able to duel here," Yusei explained, "After all, one of our top goals is safety. You're our doctor to handle cuts and bruises, but I'd be much happier if no kids had to visit you. That is especially true for the doctor that will be in charge of some more serious things." Akiza nodded and Yusei led her to another room, which had a few people already in it.

"This is where psychics will be able to test their powers as well as control." They went up to a large glass. Yusei tapped on it. "This is bullet-proof and should hold up to just about any duelist's strength." Yusei and Akiza walked over to some duel disks and computers. "Akiza," Yusei replied slowly, "Do you think you could test out one of our machines, just as a practice and test?" Akiza smiled. "Sure thing," she replied, "But I didn't bring my deck." Yusei smiled back.

"That's okay. You could try out one of the other decks," he suggested and Akiza picked one up. They hooked her up with some small wires and sensors, that were much different from the ones Sayer used. Much like many different technologies, it had gotten smaller and more convenient. "Okay. We're all set," a future worker called to her. Akiza nodded and drew a card. She called out for a few attacks and they were aimed for the glass, which had multiple sensors on it. The worker gasped and Yusei looked over, as he stood next to him.

"What is it?" he asked, as he had no idea what the readings were saying. The worker clicked on a few things. "Here are the readings for Akiza," he said and then clicked on something else, "Here are the readings for an average psychic." Yusei gasped. "And here are the readings for the strongest psychic we have on record, who is not Akiza." Yusei gulped as he looked at the numbers. Akiza was, lets just say, miles ahead of the competition. Yusei just stared at the screen in shock.

"Hello? Yusei?" Yusei shook his head and suddenly turned to his girlfriend. "Hey Akiza. When did you get here?" Akiza looked oddly at him. "I just wanted to see what the results were." The other worker gave her a nervous look and showed her the numbers. "Wow," Akiza replied, "I was barely trying. I put as much effort into it as lifting a pinky finger." Yusei gulped.

"L..L...Lifting a finger?" he asked in shock. He panned up at his girlfriend, as she smiled at him. For once, Yusei didn't look at her as his girlfriend, but as someone who could do something very powerful. Something scary. To Akiza, it was nothing, and it didn't bother her at all. "Do you want me to do some more tests?" she asked. Yusei and worker shook their heads, as her readings were more than enough. "C...come on," Yusei replied, still shaken at how strong her powers were, "Lets show you some more of the building."

Yusei took her hand and they walked around a few of the floors. "This is where some of the homeless psychics will be living," Yusei informed her, "I thought we could even use a lot of the extra rooms for real homeless people, especially during the winter, or for summer camps." Akiza smiled. "Those are good ideas Yusei. I've forgotten how much space and many rooms we have. But I'm glad that you're thinking of ideas for how they can be used." Yusei nodded. "Since we're here, do you want to see the food area? They only have sandwiches, since they're still doing some maintenance, but it could be a good place to show you even more of the rooms." Akiza thought that sounded good and they headed for the food area. They found some smaller areas, to hold potlucks and other such events, and then they found the large food area.

As Yusei said, there was only some sandwiches and bagged lunches to buy. When the cooks saw Yusei and Akiza, they insisted that neither one of them should have to pay, even as Yusei held out the right amount of money for the food. Still, they wouldn't accept any money, although Yusei wondered if he could pay for other worker lunches later. Still, they sat at a table to eat, side-by-side.

"So, you enjoying the tour so far?" Yusei asked and Akiza nodded. "When are we going to see the classrooms and office space?" Yusei smiled. "We can do that once we're done eating," he replied and they quickly gobbled up the rest of their food. They washed up and left hand-in-hand. Yusei then showed her the classrooms and teaching areas. Akiza knew that Luna would enjoy them and they headed down a long hallway, with many, many doors.

"This is where a lot of the dueling areas are," Yusei informed her as he opened one. Inside, were multiple dueling fields, with seating similar to a stadium or auditorium. There were some rooms with only one field, for smaller gatherings as well. Yusei showed her a large room, to which Akiza could sense she had been in before, as there were many, many dueling fields. However, each one had seating, just like the rooms, so that you could look out onto one or multiple fields. "Is there any room that has the 'main field' or is considered to be the best?" Akiza asked. Yusei shook his head.

"I didn't want people fighting over who gets the best field or 'top one.' So, we made them all very similar, in terms of seating and field look. The only real difference is the number of fields. Otherwise, no one gets a 'better field' than anyone else. Plus, we have security cameras in all the rooms as well as many police and security officers to keep the people inside of the rooms out of trouble. Safety was one of our top concerns." Akiza nodded and Yusei put his arms around.

"But you're my top concern Akiza and I know that you want to see where you'll be working." Akiza nodded and they went upstairs. Yusei showed her some of the other offices first. "And then there's your room." Yusei opened the door and Akiza smiled. "This will be your patient room, which will be just for you. We tried to make it similar to a real waiting room, like at a real doctor. However, we also added some room for beds and space, just like a nurse at a school would have. It's kind of like combining both into one." Akiza smiled. There was all the standard equipment she would need, as well as some personal space for any work she would have to do. Yusei had shut the door to give them some privacy.

"Oh Yusei. This is wonderful. Thank you." She went up to him and they shared a kiss. "But...won't I have another office, besides this one?" Yusei nodded. "Follow me," he replied and she took his hand. Yusei happily lead her down a hall and towards a door, far away from the others. "And here..." He opened the door. "Is your office." Akiza smiled as there was a desk sitting for her. She went up to it and smiled. However, she had also noticed a office space right next to her's.

"Who's office is that?" she asked. Yusei smiled. "This is my office too." Akiza gasped. "Really?" she asked. "Really," Yusei replied and he wrapped her in a hug. "This will be not your's or my office. It will be our office." Akiza blushed. "Oh Yusei." He the dug into his pocket and took something out. "Here is your key," he replied, "Only you and I will have one for this very room." Akiza couldn't help, but smile. This was all so wonderful. Not to mention Crow's sly comment from a couple days ago might be true. Akiza could tell that Yusei was thinking the same thing.

Later, they looked down from a number of floors above, at the square shaped bottom. They both smiled, as they watched a few people go in and out. "This sure is going to be a nice place to work," Akiza spoke to break the silence. "Yeah, but do you know what makes it the best?" Yusei asked as he wrapped her in a hug. "What?" Akiza asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Getting to have us work together each and everyday." Akiza blushed and they shared a loving kiss, knowing just how much fun was in store for them.

Yusei wanted to help on both the project and help his current job, as his future job was being finalized. However, the scientists insisted that things would be fine with them and they also wanted to get used to life once he was gone. In that stretch, Akiza and Yusei got to go on lots and lots of dates together, as well as spending a lot of time together. Akiza didn't like hoping and wishing, but every time they did something together, a thought would pop into her mind.

'Will this be the time he asks me?'

Akiza didn't want to pressure Yusei into asking, as she wanted him to ask her both when he was ready and when he was sure about it. Akiza didn't even mention it to him, because she wanted it to happen naturally and didn't want to spoil the moment. Despite holding back, thoughts popped into her head when it might happen: the 4th of July, walking some place together, going out to a nice restaurant, or even just coming over to visit. As the days went along, Akiza finally had to come to grips with her desires and wants. She was just going to have to treat every date and time together just like she always had: as a normal date and time together.

Yusei didn't want to make their relationship boring, so they did spend some days with only a social media message to check in on one another. It was much easier when Yusei went in for "work" and it left most of the day's schedule unavailable for him to come and visit. On one of those days, Akiza looked back on all she had accomplished: she had gotten her degree, gotten to spend holidays and Summers with Yusei, and got to spend some very valuable time with him. After all, most kids that study abroad don't always get the chance to fly back and forth. Despite the time together, minus the time she was away, they only got to spend about 4 months out of the year together, if even that. Adding all that up meant that they were a couple for just under three years total.

Still, that was enough time for Yusei to ask wasn't? It wasn't like they had broken up or cheated on one another. Granted, they still knew that people cheated on one another all the time. Yet, that was never one of their desires. Crow, despite being with multiple people over the years, seemed almost content on being a single man and getting to play the dating scene. Jack seemed destined to be with Carly, but they got to spend even less time together than Yusei and Akiza did, so they hadn't gotten to know one another as well as Yusei and Akiza did. Yet, Yusei and Akiza seemed very much in love, which brought up the question:

Just when did they know that they loved one another?

Akiza had never asked Yusei, but she wanted to know. She knew when her feelings started to grow for him. Still, it was one of the last things that she had wanted to know since their relationship began. The rest they had learned together or when a certain situation came up (such as Yusei being non-violent). Still, she wanted to ask him and, knowing Yusei, the shy, little guy would come out. He would probably blush and look away as he would tell her. Akiza loved that she had opened up that side of him and she knew that Martha liked it too. She couldn't wait to ask him and it would definitely bring them closer together, maybe even enough for Yusei to ask her a question that both of them, without a doubt, were thinking about.

Akiza wanted to ask him when they were alone and in private. After all, it wasn't something you would generally share to everyone. Akiza decided to do it when she came over to visit one evening. The great thing about going to Yusei's apartment, instead of her house, is that there wouldn't be any distractions. The twins were able to take care of themselves across the hall, so going to Yusei's always meant time alone together.

After having dinner, to which Yusei apologized that it was only spaghetti, meatballs, and milk, they both took a place on the couch. They had washed the dishes together and they had thanked for the other's help with hugs and kisses. They sat on the couch and stayed quiet, as Yusei gently stroked her cheek and they looked happily into each other's eyes. Akiza sighed contently as she leaned on Yusei.

"Yusei," she said slowly and Yusei responded with a "Hmmm?" Akiza leaned back, away from his gentle touch. "I love you." Yusei's eyes softened. "I love you too." He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. Akiza blushed and enjoyed just how affectionate Yusei was. It was so refreshing to get a kiss, hug, or other display of affection, even for the tiniest things. Akiza would have never expected that a man so serious could open himself up and show the real him, that was soft, kind, and gentile. After a moment of looking happily at one another, Akiza knew it was time to ask.

"Yusei. Can I ask you a question?" Yusei nodded. "Of course Akiza. You can ask me anything." Akiza blushed. "When did you first realize that you loved me?" Yusei's face instantly turned red. "What?" he asked, looking embarrassed. Akiza opened her mouth a laughed a little bit at his cute reaction. "When did you first realize that you loved me?" Yusei looked away.

"I...I don't know," he replied as he looked away, trying to hide his face. Akiza knew this was coming and she continued to bug him. "Come on," she replied, "You had to realize it at some point. You can't say that you don't know, since you've told me a million times that you love me." Yusei knew he was stuck so he went with his next best answer. "I don't remember," he replied. Akiza became a little flustered. "All right," she replied, "How about this? If I tell you when I first realized it, then you have to tell me." Yusei turned back to her.

"I told you Akiza. I don't remember." Akiza's eyes softened. "If you don't remember, then have you ever loved me?" Yusei leaned forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "Of course I do Akiza. I've loved you for a very long time." Suddenly, a thought hit Akiza. "Did...did I force you into our relationship? The night before I left did...did you only respond the way that you did, because you didn't want to upset me?" Yusei shook his head.

"No. That's not true Akiza. I felt exactly the same way you did. I felt those feelings way before you finally told and hinted of your feelings for me. I responded the way I did, because I wanted you to know my feelings for you and that I felt the same way. At the same time, just like you, I wanted to give you a proper goodbye. We both hinted at our feelings for one another and we both returned those feelings. We both left happy, because we got to confess, return, and show our feelings for one another." Akiza was both relieved and confused.

"I'm glad Yusei. That does take some weight of my chest, but..." Akiza made sure she kept her voice in talking volume. "Why don't you want to say when you first realized that you loved me?" Yusei sighed. "Because," he responded short and sweetly. "Because why?" Akiza asked, raising her voice.

"Because it's too embarrassing," Yusei replied and looked away, a crimson blush all over his face. Akiza looked shocked for a moment. "Too...embarrassing?" she repeated. She thought about it for a moment. "Why would it be embarrassing?" Akiza asked, her voice now talking again, "It's something sweet and romantic. Besides, if it's that personal, I'll keep it a secret." Yusei shook his head. "Trust me. Other..." He paused and thought of the right word. "People know about it." Akiza was really confused.

"If they know about it, then why not me?" she asked. Yusei sighed. "Trust me. You don't want to know." Akiza thought for a moment, before getting a sly grin on her face. "Yusei...did you realize it when you were...playing with yourself?" Yusei finally turned around and faced her. "I did not find out by playing with myself. Besides, I don't..." Akiza cut him off.

"Don't tell me that you don't touch yourself Yusei. I talked to a few 100 year old men at the hospital and they still do it multiple times a week." Yusei looked away. "I did not fall in love with you by doing...that," he replied awkwardly, "Besides, I've stressed that our relationship isn't about looks, but about our love for one another." Akiza smiled. "I know Yusei. I feel the same way. Every time I look into your beautiful sky blue eyes, I can feel just how much you love me." Yusei turned around. "I know. I feel the same way when I look into your eyes Akiza. Not to mention seeing your smile, which will always be the best in the world." Akiza blushed. "I feel the same way about seeing you smile Yusei. And the best part is that no matter how old we get, no one can take our smiles..."

"Or eye balls away from us." They smiled at one another, as they had turned an angry moment into a awkward moment into a happy moment. They held hands and smiled at one another. "So..." Akiza said after a few moments, "Could you tell me when you first realized that you loved me?" Yusei shook his head. "Sorry Akiza, but it's too embarrassing to talk about." Yusei got up and headed for the restroom. As Akiza waited for him to finish, she wondered why he wouldn't tell her. Yusei had said that "other people" knew and she wanted to know who that was. Crow and Jack might know, but Akiza figured that it wasn't something that Yusei would tell them. He would have to deal with them teasing him day after day, so that didn't seem right. After thinking about it some more, a smile grew on her face and she knew who she could talk to. Plus, she knew who these so called "other people" were.

"Martha," she said quietly to herself.

The following night, Akiza wanted to go with Yusei to Martha's house. Yusei was more than happy to drive themselves over there. When they got there, Martha was all smiles as they came in and she gave them both a hug. "Oh. If it isn't the cute couple?" she asked and they both blushed. "Come on in," Martha encouraged them, "Do you want something to eat or drink?" Yusei and Akiza both declined and they sat at the kitchen table. "So," Martha asked, "What's new with you guys?"

Akiza and Yusei told her about the Dueling Center and how things were going. Of course, Martha chimed in when they started talking about working together. "Isn't that wonderful? You'll get to go to the same place and work together everyday. Oh! You two are just meant for one another!" She gently pulled on Yusei's cheek, who smiled through the pulling. "I think it's wonderful how you offered her a job Yusei and I know that Akiza is very grateful for that." Akiza nodded and gave Yusei a kiss.

"Thank you Yusei," she added and Yusei wrapped her in a hug. "Aww," Martha sighed, "You two are so in love." Akiza smiled as Yusei let go of her. Luckily, Akiza was sitting closer to Martha and could get her attention easier. "Yeah we sure are," Akiza replied, before taking a moment to anticipate asking her question. "Say Martha," Akiza said as she saw Yusei looking away for a brief moment, "Do you know when Yusei started liking me?" Yusei quickly turned around and Martha smiled at both him and Akiza.

"When you say liking you, do you mean likes you like you?" Akiza nodded and turned to Yusei, who had a nervous look on his face. "Yes, because Yusei said that _'other people'_ knew about it, but it was too embarrassing to talk about with me." Martha turned her attention to Yusei. "Now Yusei, why is that so embarrassing? I think Akiza has the right to find out when you started having feelings for her." Yusei looked away, with redness on his cheeks. "Well...you know Martha. It's just...embarrassing." Martha disagreed.

"You're just showing that really really soft, shy side of you, since you've opened up the regular soft side of you," Martha explained, "And you were the same way when you first showed those feelings for her. Besides, I think it's cute," she replied and Akiza turned to the older woman, looking excited. "Really?" she asked and Martha nodded. "Oh. I'm telling you Akiza, you're going to love this story." They both managed a small laugh, as Yusei rolled his eyes, still looking embarrassed and worried. Martha then began to tell her story.

_Flashback_

"It was after Kalin and Yusei had had their duel, when Yusei got hurt. Once he was fully recovered, I had a lot of questions to ask him, because I had barely gotten to talk to him over the Fortune Cup and all of that stuff. When meal times were over and we were done with the dishes, all of the young orphans ran off to play. However, Yusei would stay behind and we would talk. After Yusei had told me about getting Runner back, which I had given a good talking to him about, we finally got to the Fortune Cup. I had gotten to watch the duels on TV, so I had some information on what had happened, along with the news coverage."

Yusei sat at the table and drank some hot apple cider, his favorite. Martha sat down next to him. "So Yusei. I remember you dueling this one girl. What was her name again?" Yusei turned and looked at the table. "Akiza," he replied, remembering that day. "You sure were acting strange that day," Martha replied and Yusei turned to her. "What do you mean I was acting strangely?" he answered. Martha smiled.

"You were really trying to help Akiza," she replied, "You seemed to really want her to listen and understand what you were trying to say. You really wanted to help her." Yusei was baffled. "Well of course I wanted to help her. She clearly was upset. She was all alone, had no friends, and everyone treated her like a monster. She needed someone to let her know that everything was okay and that she's not a bad person. What she needed was a friend." Martha nodded. "I know Yusei, but what you were doing certainly seemed like being more than what a friend would do." Yusei stood up.

"Of course I did Martha! We're both Signers! We have to come together to save the world and..." Martha stood up too and gave him a mean glare. Yusei quickly stopped talking and sat back down as Martha put her hands on her hips. "You may be Signers and you may have to save the world, but what I saw on screen was much more than that." Martha's face and voice softened as she let her hands fall to her sides. "You risked getting hurt by her, just to show her that you weren't afraid of her powers. You tried to talk to her much deeper than anyone else, by telling her that you understood what it felt like to be different. You wanted her to listen to you and know that there was someone out there who truly cares about her. She doesn't have any friends, but you wanted be more than a friend to her. You would be someone who would always be there for her, no matter what." Yusei was baffled. "What are you saying?" Martha sat down and smiled.

"I'm saying that you have feelings deeper to her than friendship. What I am saying is that you are in love with her." Yusei gasped and looked away. He also closed his eyes tightly. "I am not in love with her," he fired back, in a serious tone. Martha just kept persisting. "You really seemed to want that Akiza girl to know that you cared about her and that you were more than just a friend. You would do anything just to make sure she was happy." Yusei's eyes had re-opened, but he kept looking away from her. "That doesn't mean I love her," he replied. Martha stood up and folded her arms.

"Oh really? And what would you have done if that man hadn't gone onto the dueling field? Hmm?" Yusei turned to her. "Sayer?" he corrected her. Martha shrugged. "Sayer. Whoever. My point is, what would you have done if the duel ended, that man didn't come over, and take her away? What would you have done if she was still on her knees crying?" Yusei shrugged.

"I...I don't really know," he replied. Martha frowned. "You do know what you would have done Yusei. Don't try to lie to me and say that you don't know." Yusei had just about enough and he stood up. "All right!" he shouted as he turned to Martha, "I know what I would have done and I know exactly what I wanted to do!" Martha was surprised to see him so upset. "What is that?" she asked. Yusei faced the table.

"I...I just wanted to run across that dueling field and hug her." Martha gasped and he continued. "I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her that everything was all right. I would have taken these stupid gloves off and wiped her tears from her eyes. I...I felt so terrible at having to see her cry and seeing all those tears flowing down her face made me feel even sadder. I wanted to look into her eyes and tell her that, if she ever needed someone to talk to or a shoulder cry on, that I would be there for her. I would _always _be there for her." Martha smiled. Her constant pushing to get the answer out of Yusei had worked.

_End Flashback_

Akiza gasped and turned to Yusei, who had his eyes closed and was blushing all the way across his face. Akiza smiled. "Oh Yusei!" she cried and gave him a hug. Yusei opened his eyes to look at her and he could see joy in her eyes. Akiza leaned forward and gave him a big kiss. "I'm so happy that you felt that way about me." Martha laughed. "But there is more to the story," she replied and they both turned to look at her. "T...there's more?" Akiza asked and Martha nodded.

_Flashback_

Martha just stood in shock that Yusei had given her the answer that he did. He turned to face her. "All right? I...I...I wish I could go back in time and do that to her, to keep her out of Sayer's grasp. But I didn't and now I feel terrible. I don't know if she'll even want to be my friend anymore." Martha smiled. "I'm sure with everything you said and did Yusei, everything will turn out all right." She gave him a pat on the back. "Now, what do you think with how she looks?" Yusei turned to her. "W...what are you talking about?" he asked, with a nervous look on his face.

"She sure is quiet a catch. I mean, she sure is a busty one. Don't you think?" Yusei now had a small blush. He closed his eyes, not wanting to talk about the sheer size of Akiza's chest. "She's very very pretty," he admitted, "She's attractive on the outside, but even more on the inside." Martha smiled. "I knew you would say something like that. Now maybe you could even ask her out." Yusei gasped. "Huh?" He then realized what she meant. "I am not in love with her!" he replied and Martha just laughed.

_End Flashback_

Akiza turned to Yusei, surprised at what Martha was saying. "So...you're feelings for me had started during the Fortune Cup?" Yusei opened his eyes. "Yes," he replied, "And they only grew after that." Akiza smiled. "Yusei. I felt the same way. When we had our first duel, I started to view you differently. But as time went by, I started to have feelings for you, but just like you, I was in complete denial. I didn't understand them and I was confused on what to do. It wasn't until our second duel that those feelings really came out." Martha smiled.

"Oh that's right. I've never told you about that. Akiza, has your father ever told you about the time when he came here, to convince Yusei, to try and get you out of your coma?" Akiza shook her head. "He said that he came here and Yusei said, 'Yes,' after talking to him. But he's never mentioned anything else." Martha smiled. "Well then you're in for a real treat," she replied and Akiza turned to Yusei, who looked upset.

_Flashback_

Mr. Izinski had just asked Yusei to come with him and help Akiza. After Martha gave him a good talking, Yusei accepted. "Then you'll help? Thank you!" Mr. Izinski cried. Martha laughed as she remembered Yusei's hidden feelings for the senator's daughter. "And once this is all over, maybe you will take her on a date." Yusei quickly became stunned that Martha had, not only said that with other people in the room, but right in front of her father!

"Huh!" Yusei shouted, "Wait! What?" He was lost of words, as Martha put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm just saying that if you had some sort of connection..." Yusei had used being a Signer as a reason to hide his feelings, but now, Martha could use it as a reason to get those two together. "I'm trying to save the world. Not date!" Yusei replied quickly, trying to hide is feelings, especially in front of Akiza's father. Then Blister had to chime in and make a corny, stupid, and annoying joke.

"Hahaha! He's already got a girlfriend! His Runner!" Blister laughed at his awful and unfunny joke. The other three people in the room, Martha, Yusei, and Mr. Izinski, were still thinking about what Martha had said. It was bad enough that she had hinted at his feelings for Akiza in front of her father, but it was even worse now, with Yusei having to fly with him to the hospital together.

After they got into the helicopter, there was a very awkward silence. Yusei sat nervously, as it was even worse having to sit on opposite sides of Mr. Izinski. 'This guy probably thinks of me as a total pervert,' Yusei thought to himself. This was the guy that saw his little girl, not just become a psychic duelist, but also become a woman that men drooled her, most notably for her large chest.

Yusei squirmed in his seat. He thought of Akiza as beautiful on the inside, no matter what she might have looked like on the outside. It was too bad that her father didn't know this, but things got even more awkward when Mr. Izinski asked.

"So Yusei, how old are you?" Yusei gulped. "Um...18," he replied. Mr. Izinski nodded. "Oh," he replied as he looked away. Yusei was curious. "Why did you want to know?" Mr. Izinski kept avoiding Yusei's gaze. "Um...Akiza's 17, so she's only a year younger than you." Yusei gulped. 'He must be thinking about what Martha said,' Yusei thought nervously. The rest of the ride was awkward as they sat and looked around nervously.

When Yusei got to the hospital, Mr. Izinski led him to the room, where Akiza was resting. The entire time, Yusei had a serious and also nervous look on his face. Yusei said "hi" to the twins and then he went up to Akiza's bed. He looked at her, feeling nothing, but sadness and worry. He wanted to see Akiza back up and running just as much as her parents did. Yusei looked at her and his voice was fully of concern.

"It's me," he started as he saw tears running down her face. This time, Yusei was going to do what he wanted to do before, and so he started by taking off his right handed glove. His bare hand showed as he leaned forward. "Yusei," he said in a soft gentle voice. He wiped tears from Akiza's eyes, as it broke his heart at seeing her cry. Suddenly, his Signer mark started to glow. He gasped as he looked at it and suddenly Akiza's mark glowed as well.

Akiza's eyes slowly opened in and Yusei's face beamed with joy. "You're awake!" he said in a calm, but happy and excited voice.

_End Flashback_

Akiza blushed. "Well, Yusei... for starters, I'm sorry that my father was so awkward with you." Yusei turned to her. "No. No. Akiza, I didn't blame him for what he said or did. He wanted you to be safe and wanted you back. I don't blame him for being nervous about having someone like me around someone like you." Yusei gave her a hug. "But your family has accepted me and they are happy whenever I came over. They've even invited me over when you were back in Germany. That really meant a lot to me and they invited Martha over too. They've also become very good friends with her. So, don't worry Akiza. I'm glad your father was concerned about you, but I'm even more happy that he invited me into your group of friends." Akiza smiled and they shared a kiss.

"But...when it comes to our second duel, I...I also have to admit something. About why I was afraid to duel you." Akiza was stunned. "What do you have to admit?" she asked, "You were afraid of Kalin and my Dad talked to you. After he explained the situation and Martha talked to you, you were convinced to come to the hospital and then try to help me." Yusei shook his head. He looked at Martha.

"No. The truth was...Kalin wasn't the sole reason why I was afraid to duel you. I was also afraid to duel you, because...because I had feelings for you that I didn't understand. While my duel with Kalin did scare me and I was afraid to duel, I was also afraid of what might happen if I had to duel you again. I worried that these feelings for you would come out and explode all over the place. I had never felt these feelings before, so I didn't know how to react. I wanted to help you, but I was confused about my feelings, because like Martha had said, it felt like more that just friendship. I wanted to help you...like someone who was more than friend, but I didn't know how. I didn't know it at the time, but once our duel was over, I got it. I realized that I..." Yusei gulped. "Loved you." Akiza blushed as Martha asked a question.

"So Kalin wasn't the sole reason why you were so afraid of dueling Akiza?" Martha clarified, "You were also afraid, because of your feelings for her?" Yusei nodded. "I didn't want to do something that would ruin what we already had. I know that I stressed becoming friends with you Akiza, because I wanted you to know that we were, at the very least friends. However, I knew, deep down inside, I wanted something more. Still, I didn't want to wreck anything or force you into a relationship you didn't want. For a long time, I worried that you only saw me as a friend." Akiza shook her head.

"No Yusei. At the end of our duel, I realized that I loved you too. What you have said is exactly how I felt. My feelings started to grow after our first duel and I didn't understand what those feelings were. Like you, I knew we shared something more than friendship, but I had never had friends before. With Sayer gone, I felt as though you were the only one I could turn to. During that duel, I was so happy that you were my friend. However, like before our duel, I felt as though we were more than that. Still, like you, I didn't want to force you into a relationship, and I worried for a long time that you only saw me as a friend. I even thought that you might be interested in other people, instead of me." Yusei shook his head.

"No way Akiza! I've always looked at you as more than a friend to me and not because of your looks. Whenever I needed strength, I would think about you the most. If I was ever backed into a corner, I would think about my friends, but I thought about you most of all. Heck, my duel with Jaden and Yugi, is a perfect example. I thought about all of my friends, both in New Domino City and the Signers. However, when I thought about you, you gave me the most encouragement and support I needed. Everyone else put together was not even in the same zip code as you. I know I tried to stress that I thought of all my friends when I needed support, but to be honest, it was you who I thought of the most." Akiza blushed once more. "Oh Yusei," she replied and gave him a kiss.

"In fact," Yusei continued, "This is the perfect thing I needed to tell you about something else." Yusei grabbed both of Akiza's hands and tried to look over his shoulder. "Which would be nice to talk about when I am alone." Martha then got up. "Oh wait!" Yusei replied, "You're going to find out eventually so..." Martha continued walking away. "What is it Yusei? What do you need to talk to me about?" Akiza asked as she looked over his shoulder. Yusei sighed as he turned back around.

"Look Akiza...there's something I needed to ask you about." Akiza watched Yusei take a deep breath. "Lazar and the guys at work are going to give me a going away present and...I was wondering...if you could help me with it." Akiza gave him a curious look.

**A/N: Can you guess what the present is? Only two more Chapters to go!**

**Thanks for your patience and support!  
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	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54!**

**Bentstua: I never thought about a logo before, but that is a good idea. I wil admit that parts of your answer were correct or at least on track with what I had planned. Thanks for the great response!**

**Shinn Tsukishiro: Glad you enjoyed the humor! Yusei's going to feel even more awkward this Chapter!**

**Preaching Red: Glad you're still interested and I hope you'll stay until the end!**

**A/N: Only two Chapters left! I hope you enjoy this one!  
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Akiza looked firmly at Yusei. "I'll do whatever you need me to do Yusei." He smiled. "I know you would. Now, let me explain what's going to happen."

_Flashback_

Yusei was sitting at his desk, with nothing to do. He had already gone and talked to everyone and they already did a check on the reactor. Everything was fine, as usual, so that left the so called "scientist" with nothing to do. He sighed as he looked up at the ceiling once more. A person suddenly knocked at the door. "Come in," Yusei replied. A man with a white coat on opened the door. "Chief, Lazar wants to see you."

Yusei took his hands from behind his head and got up. After locking his office door, he went up to see Lazar. To his surprise, there were a few other people sitting at a long table with him. "Ummm, hi," Yusei said nervously as he took a seat. Lazar looked down, closed his eyes, and smiled. "It's good to see you here Yusei," Lazar started, "How are you?"

"Um...okay," Yusei replied, nervous as to what this was about. However, Lazar and the rest of the people in the room seemed happy. "Yusei, we wanted to give you a going away gift, for all the work you did for us. Especially for your work as a Signer. So, we all pitched in and got the city to build you a statue." Yusei was confused. "A statue?" he asked. Lazar nodded. "Umm...what would it look like?" he questioned. Lazar smiled. "Oh not much," he replied, "Just a larger than life statue of yourself." Yusei's jaw dropped.

"A statue of me?" he repeated. Lazar nodded. "It's the least we could do, especially since you did save our city twice from destruction." Yusei frowned. "Whoa!" he replied quickly as he stood up, "I didn't do it by myself! There were five other people who helped me! Leo, Luna, Jack, Crow, and Akiza." Lazar shrugged. "Yes, but you did the most work." Yusei's frown didn't leave his face. "They worked to help me! They gave me support when I needed it." Lazar put his hands out in front of him and lowered them.

"Calm down Yusei. We'll make the statue about the Signers too." Yusei had been around this block before. They would say that they would include the Singers, but it would turn out to be only praise and appreciation for him. "I don't want to be taking all the credit. If you're going to have it centered on the Signers, then why don't you make one for each of the other Signers? Then, they would all get the respect they deserve. Then, people could go around the city and look for them. It could be like a Treasure hunt." Yusei smiled at his idea, but Lazar folded his arms and frowned.

"A Treasure hunt? You're full grown man Yusei and no one will want to travel around the city looking for all the statues! That's only for kids." Yusei shook his head. "You can be a kid at heart," he replied and Lazar sighed. "Look Yusei. We only want one statue. It's the only amount that the city would be willing to pay for." Lazar put a piece of paper in front of him.

"This is what you have to sign, in order for it to be approved. This covers all damage and requires the city to fix it, no matter what. It also says what the statue will be made of. It should be resistant to our constant weather changes in New Domino City as well as our extreme heat and cold." Yusei slid the paper back. "I refuse to sign it, unless it gives credit to the other Signers. Having just a statue of me isn't going to do that." Lazar pulled the paper from him.

"Fine!" he shouted, "It can be of two people. One of you and one of someone else, but no more. Otherwise the city will refuse to pay for it!" Yusei now thought about the situation. Lazar crossed out and scribbled the information on the piece of paper. "Take it or leave it!" he demanded. Yusei sighed as he looked around at the other scientists. Even though Yusei had, in fully honesty, hated the job, he did like the people that he worked with. They were never upset about him being forced to take their credit or not having to do very much. He didn't want to let them down, especially when the only person who he was fighting with was Lazar.

"All right," he replied, "Two people." He signed his name on the dotted line. "Great," Lazar replied as his emotions seemed to do a complete 180. "Included in this is the ability to pick what pose you want and, now obviously, what you will be doing with that other person. Along with it is the ability to choose where the statue would go and who that person is." Yusei put his hand to his head. It seemed like so much to decide. He felt as though he suddenly had a lot of pressure on him and he had to make a good decision.

_End Flashback_

"So..." Yusei's voice was cracking a little bit, "Would you..." Akiza gasped. "Want to be the other person for the statue?" Akiza blushed. A larger than life sized statute? Of her? Akiza had never imagined having a statue of herself in her lifetime. She had always thought people would be making statues of her to wreck and destroy. Suddenly, Akiza had a concern.

"But Yusei, what if someone wrecks the statue, because of what I did as the Black Rose?" Yusei smiled. "Don't worry," he replied, "The contract says that the statue muse be replaced if it has any major damage or anything like that. Besides, it's going to made of very sturdy material, so it would be really hard to break or wreck." Akiza had another thought. "Isn't there another statue that they built in honor of the Signers before?" Yusei nodded.

"Yes, but it's be damaged a couple of times and it hasn't held up to the weather we've had here. So, they're going to knock it down and just make a regular pillar. Lazar later explained that was the reason for the new one along with the fact that it wasn't in a place for everyone to see it. They wanted one that would be able to represent the Signers, be in a place that people could actually see it, and be one that would be sturdy too." Akiza nodded. "That's good, but..." Akiza looked down. "What are other people's opinions on the subject." Yusei smiled. "Well, lets talk to them." Yusei and Akiza went to a video call center and pushed a button for Jack's number. It dialed Jack and he answered it, looking away from the screen.

"Martha...I wasn't doing anything stupid..." Jack suddenly realized who was calling. "Wait! You're not Martha!" Yusei and Akiza waved. "Hi Jack!" they replied. Yusei spoke up. "What was this about doing something stupid?" Jack's face became serious as he leaned towards the camera. "I wasn't doing something stupid! Now, why were you calling me?" Yusei had his arm around Akiza and pulled her closer to himself. "Akiza just wanted some reassurance when it came to the statue that was going to be put up, in honor of the Signers," he replied, "Like I said when I talked to you earlier, I thought she might be worried about me selecting her." Akiza looked at him. "So wait, you told..."

"Akiza!" Jack shouted and Akiza stopped talking. She quickly turned to Jack, who made a fist. "If Yusei didn't pick you, I would have flown on the next flight to New Domino City and kicked his butt!" Akiza managed a small laugh, as Yusei frowned. "Yeah okay Jack," he replied. Jack wasn't finished. "And you know, he doesn't have a very good looking butt anyways, so me kicking it shouldn't ruin it too much." Yusei made a fist. "I have a perfectly fine looking butt!" Yusei replied as Akiza started laughing hysterically.

"Well, your girlfriend isn't defending you, so this means that I win," Jack replied. Yusei turned to Akiza, who was still laughing. "Okay Jack, that was great, see you later." Yusei then called Crow, who was sitting at a desk, looking over some research for his next match. "Huh?" he asked once Yusei was done explaining, "You wanted to pick Akiza?" Yusei nodded as he gave a serious look at him and then Akiza. "If that's okay?" he asked in a nervous tone. Crow just grinned.

"Are you kidding?" he replied, "All this time we bugged you guys about liking each other and now you guys are going to have a huge statue of yourselves together? Aww man! That's hilarious!" Akiza didn't quite get it, as they didn't really bug her, but Yusei sure did. Crow and Jack had always bugged him, for a very long time, about liking Akiza, and this was just a cherry on top for them. "All right. Thanks Crow. Glad to know you approve." He then turned off the screen.

Yusei then called Leo and Luna who had a similar reaction. "Oh don't worry about Yusei," Leo replied, "It wouldn't look good if it wasn't you two." Luna agreed. "Besides, we're sure you'll put our names somewhere on it. You tried to get one of all of us, but that's the way it works sometimes." Akiza smiled. "So you're really not mad?" They both shook their heads as Yusei wrapped her in a hug. "See Akiza. Everything is okay." Martha walked into the room, realizing that they were probably done talking about whatever they needed to say to each other. She heard Yusei say something that caught her attention, as Yusei didn't realize she was there.

"When they build the statue of us, no one will be upset." Martha gasped and cupped her hands. "A statue? Of the two of you? Together?" She rushed over to them. "Tell me everything." Yusei explained the going away gift and how he fought to have someone else with him. When he said it was Akiza, Martha quickly wrapped both of them in a hug. "Aww. Isn't that cute? Your whole romance will be on display for the world to see!" Yusei and Akiza squirmed under her arms.

"See?" Yusei replied in a grunt, "I told you no one will be upset."

A few days later, after Yusei told them who was going to be in the statue with him, he was then informed that he had to pick a pose. Akiza went over to Yusei's house, to decide on what pose they should do together. They stood in the living room, pondering what to do. "How about this?" Akiza suggested and they stood apart, with their right and left hands still together. Akiza raised her arms, almost like a victory pose, and Yusei followed. Yusei quickly frowned. "I don't think so," he replied.

After a few moments. Yusei got an idea. "Okay. What about this?" he suggested and put his body out in front of her, with his arms sticking out. Akiza just looked confused at him. "What is that suppose to mean?" she asked and Yusei turned to her. "That I don't want anyone or anything from getting to you Akiza." Akiza didn't seem excited by that idea. "Yusei, you already made that point at that Dueling Party last year. Besides, I don't want people in the future looking at the statue and thinking I'm totally defenseless." Yusei sighed.

"Yeah. You're right." He sat down on the couch and they both thought long and hard about what they wanted to do. "How about we think of things we want in the statue?" Akiza suggested. Yusei smiled. "Yeah and then maybe we can find a pose that would fit all of those." Yusei got a pen and paper and they wrote down what they wanted. Akiza was the one who decided to write, because Yusei's handwriting wasn't exactly award winning. They made a few suggestions from their previous attempts and then they looked at the list, once they were finished.

"All right," Yusei proclaimed, "We have: Not making the other look bad, wanting to send a message, a pose that other people could do, and being close together." They both thought for a moment. "How about this?" Akiza suggested and they held each other's hands and faced one another. This gave Yusei an idea.

"Or what about this?" he suggested and he wrapped his arms around Akiza. Akiza instantly did the same to him. They looked at one another and smiled. "Yeah!" they said almost in unison. This was perfect. They were in a position other people could follow, no one looked bad, and they were close together. "But what kind of message would this send?" Yusei asked as they looked at the list laying on the couch. Akiza blushed. "What if it sent the message that we love each other?" Yusei blushed and liked the idea.

"That sounds great," he replied, "What do you think?" Akiza smiled. "I like that idea too. It'll let other people know that we loved one another very very much." Yusei nodded. "What about the other Signers?" he remembered and they both frowned. "Isn't there something that would be written underneath the statue too?" Yusei gasped. "That's right!" he replied, "We could put it in there!" They both smiled and shared a kiss. This was perfect. They could be remembered for their love of one another, but still keep the Signers in there too. "I think you should write it Akiza," Yusei offered, "We came up with the pose together, but you're a much better writer than me." Akiza blushed and decided to get right to work on it.

She went to the extra bedroom and sat down on the bed, resting against the headboard. She knew that this was a important decision, as many different people were going to see what she would write. Akiza closed her eyes and imagined what she wanted to say. She opened her eyes again and then started writing. She wanted to be sure to include the other Singers in her piece of writing, as she wanted them to have some stake in the statue. But was that all she really wanted?

Later, Yusei sat at the kitchen table, looking online at the local sports teams and how they were doing. "I knew you'd choke," Yusei said as he stared at the screen. Akiza walked up to him. "Um...Yusei," she started nervously and Yusei turned to her. Akiza held her piece of paper behind her, even though Yusei could clearly see it. "Did you get done writing?" he asked and Akiza nodded. She nervously handed the piece of paper over to him.

Akiza wanted to give credit to the other Signers just as much as Yusei did. However, she also wanted people to know about their love for each other. Akiza worried that Yusei might be upset, with her efforts to put down what was already going to be displayed on the statue. She just wanted some reassurance. If people didn't get what their pose was saying, at least her words would be able to.

Akiza couldn't stand watching him look over the piece of paper. Like a kid getting their paper corrected, Akiza wanted to bolt out of the room, and come back once Yusei was done reading it. She didn't leave, but instead closed her eyes, at least until Yusei called her name. "Akiza?" he asked and he looked over his shoulder to see her. Akiza looked over at him.

"This is perfect." Akiza gasped. "You're just saying that," she replied, but Yusei shook his head. "No. I mean it. This is really good. I wouldn't change one word about it." Akiza smiled and she wrapped Yusei in a hug.

A few days later, Yusei asked Akiza out to dinner. It was just a dinner and nothing more. Yusei got ready, as Martha was there to help him. "You can do it Yusei. Don't worry." He was dressed in his formal attire and he enjoyed wearing it. Yet, Yusei felt so nervous. He wanted Martha here, just as some reassurance. "Don't worry Yusei. You'll be great." Yusei nodded as he put on some cologne. He sighed heavily, thinking about tonight.

"I'd better get going," Martha replied, "Have a good night." She winked and Yusei watched her go out the door. He ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up a little, but he really wasn't to worried about that. He felt his front pocket, which contained his wallet and something else.

A few blocks away, Dexter was in a similar position. Luna and himself were going out to a nice restaurant as well, as it was something they didn't do very often. Over the years, Luna and Dexter had had their ups and downs, much like Yusei and Akiza did. They had their disagreements and fights, similar to how every couple did. It never got to the point where they threatened to break up, but things did get heated.

Well...mostly for Dexter, or so he thought.

One of their fights, that Dexter could remember, was after one of his first days on the job. It was a long hard day at work. Luna picked him up from work that night and Dexter took a deep breath, as he laid back in his seat. Luna smiled and was cheerful, as she drove away from the store. "So, busy night?" she asked. "Uh huh," Dexter replied, a little out of breath, "I had to clean some puke up." Luna made a sour face.

"Ewww. I bet that wasn't pleasant." Dexter nodded. "Yeah, but it was outside and barely anything. So, it wasn't too bad. Then someone else spilled dog food outside. Luckily, they helped me get most of it into a garbage bag. Then some people needed help getting things out to their car. Ugh! It was a nightmare." Luna smiled. "Well, at least now you can go home and rest. I've got some leftovers from supper that you can have." Dexter smiled. He loved having Luna cook for him. In a way, it was good for her too. With Leo gone so often, he was never home for meals. But with Dexter needing food most nights, she was more than happy to cook the almost usual amount and have him eat Leo's share. Or as much as he could anyways.

When they got back to Luna's house, Dexter set his lunch box on the counter. "I'm going to get undressed and wash up," he replied as Luna went to the kitchen to get some food for him. Once she got some plates and silverware out, Luna decided that she had enough dishwater left to clean up Dexter's containers from the food he had for work. Luna unzipped the box and gasped when she looked into it.

Inside was all of Dexter's food. Luna remembered that Dexter said he didn't have a long enough shift for a lunch break, but even then he would usually had somethings eaten. Luna thought for a moment. 'Either Dexter wasn't hungry, which is impossible when doing so much physical work or Dexter didn't take a break!" She put her hands on her hips and frowned, as Dexter came back to the kitchen.

"So, what's for dinner?" he asked, smiling until he saw the look on Luna's face. "Dexter, what is this?" She showed him the box. "Why is all of your food still in it?" Dexter felt the hairs on his head stand up. "Well...I..." Luna decided to get to the point. "You didn't take a break! Did you?" Dexter knew he was caught and instantly he apologized.

"I'm sorry! Okay Luna? It was really busy and I didn't want to fall behind. Plus, there was no one to cover for me. So, that's why I didn't take a break." Dexter closed his eyes, waiting for her to fire back. Instead, Luna walked up to him. "You didn't go on break, because you didn't want to fall behind?" Dexter opened his eyes and looked up at her. He then looked down at the floor.

"Yeah...I didn't want to get yelled at for not doing my job." Luna leaned forward and hugged him. "Dexter, you were doing your job. Very hard I might add." Dexter looked up as she then continued. "You work really hard Dexter. Trust me. I know. But they give you those breaks for a reason. You should take them no matter what. I'm sure if you didn't get done, they would understand. After all, it sounded like a pretty hectic day." Dexter nodded.

"Uh huh," he replied and Luna kissed his forehead. "You work hard Dexter. I'm sure the people there know that. But please, don't skip out on your breaks. I don't want to see you get hurt or get sick. You deserve them Dexter, so please be sure to take them. For me?" Dexter looked down and then back up at her. He put his arms around her. "All right. I promise." They then shared a kiss.

As Dexter got ready, putting on his trademark like bow tie, he put some cologne on as well. He took a deep breath and felt like a nervous wreck. He took some more deep breaths as he headed for the door. "Come on Dexter. You can do this." He went and locked the door as he headed for the Tops and Luna's house.

A black and yellow haired resident of the Tops politely rang the doorbell of a very nice looking house. He took a deep breath. "Please don't have her parents answer. Please don't have her parents answer," he muttered to himself. The door opened and Mr. and Ms. Izinski were waiting for him. "Yusei! Come on in!" they invited and Yusei stood outside for a moment. 'Crap!' he screamed in his head.

He stepped inside, feeling even more nervous around Akiza's parents. He looked around and nervously felt himself sweating profusely. All he wanted was Akiza to come downstairs and let them go. "Akiza will be just a few minutes," Ms. Izinski informed him. 'Oh no,' Yusei thought and nervously grasped his undershirt. "So Yusei, how about that latest politcal news?" Mr. Izinski suggested. 'Oh crap!' Yusei thought as he got nervous talking politics with people. Not to mention in front of a Senator!

As Dexter walked to Luna's house, he looked around as people noticed him in his fancy suit. He couldn't help, but remember when they had a totally different reaction to him. He remembered walking with Luna and guys would whistle or make sly comments at them. Obviously, most of them were for Luna. Luna would give them a mean look, but it was when she did the other thing that made Dexter's heart sink. She would give him a kiss or some display of affection that would show that he was with her. One example came to mind.

Luna and Dexter were walking down the street. One of four guys gave Luna a whistle and muttered a swear word, as they came close. "You'd look mighty fine if you were with me," he suggested and Luna turned towards them. "I already have someone," she replied and placed a kiss on Dexter's cheek. The guys came from leaning on the fence, to standing tall.

"Whoa! Why are you with that loser?" the other one asked. "Yeah," a third one replied, "He's a dork." Dexter looked down as the last one added. "Yeah he's a nerd. You deserve someone better." Luna gave them all a mean stare. "I can be with whoever I want and I'm happy being with him!" Luna put her arm around Dexter. "Come on. Lets get out of here." Dexter continued walking, but he held his head down as they called out to her.

"You're wasting your time!" one of them yelled. "You'll regret this!" another one shouted. "He's nothing, but a loser!" a third one added. "You're making your parents cry!" the last one shouted. Dexter felt hurt by their words. Luna told him not to listen to them, but the words still hurt. Luna tried to joke that she didn't mind making her parents cry, because they treated Leo and Luna so terribly. Still, it did make Dexter insecure when guys talked to Luna like that.

Still, despite dating her for a number of years now, Dexter still worried that Luna would some day get up and leave him. He could imagine them eating at a fancy restaurant. Luna would lean forward and take his had. "Dexter. I have some important news." Dexter would clutch her hand and smile excitedly. "What is it?" Luna would get up and brush her hair back. "I'm leaving you." Dexter would be stunned. "What? Why?" Suddenly, another man would come up and put his arm around her, being perfect in every way. "I found someone better for me than you," Luna would say, "So...see ya!" Dexter would watch as they walked out of the restaurant.

Back in the present, Dexter found himself in the middle of a crosswalk. Suddenly, a car honked at him, and Dexter got out of his nightmare. He quickly ran to the sidewalk and watched the cars wiz by. He felt his pocket again. He had told Leo of his fears, but Leo had reassured him that nothing was wrong and that Luna wouldn't do that to him. Knowing Leo, he probably told Luna what he said, and that must upset her that he didn't trust him. Of course, he did remember one time that she trusted him.

_Flashback_

Dexter had just came into work and luckily got to stay inside for the day. After he got the checkout lane ready and rang a few guests, there was no one in his lane. Luckily, Luna suddenly walked into the aisle, standing tall, and looking happy. "Hey Luna," Dexter replied happily, "Do you need something?" Luna shook her head as she walked up to him. "No. I just wanted to check in a make sure everything was all right. After all, I know how hard you work." Dexter blushed. "Thanks," he replied, "That really means a lot." A person walked in, with a cart full of stuff. "Well, I'd better get going. See you later Dexter!" She waved and Dexter watched her leave, waving back. Luna happily headed for the door, when another worker came up to her.

"Hey, you know Dexter?" she asked. Luna nodded. "Yep." The woman smiled. "Aww. That's great. Dexter's a really great worker and he works really hard. We're so glad to have him here." Luna enjoyed the compliment. "That's great." The woman looked curiously at her. "Dexter's never mentioned you before. How long have you been friends?" Luna was surprised that Dexter didn't mention her before. "We've been friends since we were kids," Luna explained, "We're really close. Has he ever mentioned that he's going out with someone?" The short, stubby woman with brown hair and a pony tail shook her head. "No. I didn't know he had a girlfriend." Luna quickly waved her hand.

"Oh, they just started going out," she replied, "But they might have broken up, so maybe he's single again." The woman nodded as a person spoke over her walkie talkie. "I'd better get going," she replied, "Nice meeting you." Luna replied the same statement and headed for the door. 'Why didn't Dexter tell anyone? I'm sure he has a good reason.' Back with Dexter, he wasn't the only one who saw Luna leave.

"Aww man!" one of the few male cashiers said as Luna left, "Did you see that chick?" Dexter watched as the stood at the end of the lane, talking. "I know," the other replied, "She must be going out with someone super rich and cool." Dexter looked down, as he finished the transaction. He didn't feel like any of those things and he hated how they were talking about Luna. He wanted to say he was going out with her, but he refrained, even when he had a chance to talk to them.

Later, Luna ran to Dexter's apartment door. "Oh! I almost forgot!" she said as she rolled the back half of her outfit up and over her shorts. Now that Luna was with him, she didn't have to keep it hidden from perverts outside. When Dexter opened the door, Luna went inside and took a seat. Before Dexter could offer her water, Luna asked him to sit down. "It's important," Luna stressed. Dexter sat down and was worried. "What is it?" he asked.

"Umm..." Luna paused before speaking. "I was talking to one of your co-workers yesterday and you didn't tell anyone about our relationship." Dexter turned and looked down at the floor. Luna quickly responded. "I just wanted to ask why you were so afraid of telling people about us being together?" Dexter sighed. "It's just that..." He paused for a moment as well.

"I just didn't want people thinking that I did something to you. That I'm paying you to be my girlfriend or I'm somehow forcing you to be my girlfriend." Luna frowned. "I didn't want people thinking that I knocked you up or are doing something horrible to keep you with me. You're special Luna and I want people to see that too. It's bad enough that people mock our relationship, but I didn't want my co-workers to do the same, even if it was jokingly. I...I just wish people would see our relationship and not have a problem with it. I love what's on the inside of you much more than what's on the outside." Luna wrapped him in a hug.

"I understand your fear Dexter, but I want you to know that you should never be upset to talk about our relationship with anyone. I want people to know about our relationship, because I want people to know that I'm not upset about being your girlfriend." Dexter smiled and wanted to cry, but no tears came out. "Thanks Luna." They hugged and shared a smile.

_End Flashback_

As Dexter looked up at the Tops, he took a deep breath. "It's now of never," he said to himself and he headed up to the top floor.

Back at the Izinski's, Akiza was finally ready. She came down in a strapped dress as she refused to wear anything that was strapless. She looked beautiful as always, in Yusei's eyes, and he greeted her by taking her hand. "You two have fun," Ms. Izinski reminded them and they headed for the door. Akiza hugged both of them, but noticed that her father didn't bug her about not staying out too late. Still, she shrugged it off and they all waved as they headed outside. "Lets get going," Yusei encouraged her, "We don't want to be late for dinner."

They got into Yusei's car, with him opening the door for Akiza. "Such a gentleman," Akiza noted as she got in. Akiza managed a small chuckle, but Yusei had a really loud and goofy laugh. "Ahahaha," Yusei laughed awkwardly. Akiza looked at him as he went around the car. "What was that?" Akiza asked as he started up the car. "I don't know what you are talking about," he replied, even though he knew what he had done. Akiza didn't want to start an argument, especially so early in the night, so she let it drop.

When they got to the restaurant, Akiza took Yusei's hand as they walked towards the door. Now, Yusei's hand was normally sweaty, but it was more than normal. He was also shaking a little bit. "Is something wrong Yusei?" Akiza asked as they stopped in front of the front door. Yusei turned to her and forced a smile. "No. No," he replied, with emphasis on the last one, "Everything's fine. Come on. Lets go inside." Akiza gave him a skeptical look as she went inside with him.

Back with Dexter, he didn't have to worry about dealing with parents. Leo greeted him at the door and they sat down, waiting for Luna. When she came out, she was in a strapped dress, like Akiza's, only back. Dexter went up and kissed her. "Well, I hope you guys have fun. I'll be..." Leo thought for a moment. "Somewhere. Just have a good time you guys!" Leo waved as he left and Luna wondered how Leo didn't know where he was going to be that night. Still, he trusted her, so she trusted him.

As they walked out, Dexter held Luna's hand like always. Although, Luna could sense something was different. Luna knew that Dexter was sometimes nervous around her, but she felt something strange tonight. "Dexter, is something wrong?" she asked. Dexter turned to her and shook his head. "No everything's great," he replied and they continued walking. Luna looked at him skeptically and just thought it might be caused by going out to a fancy restaurant with her.

When they arrived at the restaurant, which was only a few blocks from the Tops, Dexter sat in a chair, while Luna sat in a booth. "Do...do you have enough room? Everything okay?" he asked as Luna set her purse down. "I'm fine Dexter, but thanks for asking. You're so considerate." Dexter blushed. When their menus came, Dexter was too nervous to eat. He just decided on a small stake to tide him over. Luna was more in a eating mode and got some seafood. Dexter took a deep breath, as he now knew what was next: having to get through the awkward table conversation.

As Akiza and Yusei sat at the table, Akiza could feel that something was odd about Yusei. He stumbled through taking his order, he was looking around a lot, and he just seemed so out of it. Akiza wondered if he was having one of those days where he didn't want to talk, much like he was so many years ago. Still, if he didn't want to talk, he would have been acting more seriously. Right now, he just seemed to be acting just down right strange.

"So Yusei, how's the Dueling Center going?" Yusei suddenly turned to her. "Oh. It's...uh...going..." Akiza tilted her head. "Great," he finally finished. Akiza just looked at him. "So when do you think it's going to be ready to open?" Yusei stared at her, looking like he wasn't focused on her. "What?" he repeated. Akiza repeated her question. "When will the Center be ready to open?" Yusei tried to straighten himself out. "Oh! To be open? Probably sometime this Fall." Akiza nodded. "Have you finished looking at other people applying for working at the center?" Yusei smiled.

"Yeah and don't worry Akiza. In the coming weeks, we'll interview people for the other doctor's position and you'll be there to help us." Akiza smiled. For a moment, it felt like Yusei was back to normal as he flashed her a grin. "I know we'll enjoy working there," he added and Akiza managed a chuckle. "What about the statue Yusei? When are they going to do that?" Yusei blushed.

"The statue...uh...we'll be working on it next week. We'll be posing for it and they'll be taking some pictures and drawing some stuff." Akiza was intrigued. "Drawing some stuff? Like what?" Yusei shrugged. "Just...us. Being...together and...close to one another." Akiza smiled, but noticed Yusei's stuttering. "Well, I'm sure we'll look very good together." Yusei looked away. "Yeah, we...sure will." Yusei turned and saw someone getting down on their knee at a table near the window. The woman gasped as the man said something and opened a box. Yusei quickly got up.

"I've got to go to the restroom," he replied quickly. Akiza was confused as Yusei quickly walked away. She turned and saw the couple kissing and hugging. She clapped, along with everyone else. Still, she noticed Yusei being so out of place, and awkward. Something was bothering him and she wanted to know what it was. In the restroom, Yusei went into a stall and sat down on the toilet. "Come on Yusei. Calm down," he whispered to himself. He felt his armpits, underneath his suit, and he felt wetness. "Crap," he muttered.

Across town, Luna noticed Dexter acting very odd as well. He spoke in quick, short sentences whenever Luna asked him something. She tried to talk about things he enjoyed. The local sports teams. "They all suck," he replied. Anything in the news. "It's...very sad," he answered. He would also look away a lot, was shaking, and rocking back and forth. Luna could sense he was nervous. She tried to stick out her hand and look at him sympathetically. "Is everything okay?" she asked in a soft, gentle tone. Dexter nodded. "Yeah. I just...need to use the restroom." He got up and headed for the restroom, knowing that it wouldn't help.

At first, Dexter tried to just look himself in the mirror and talk to himself. "Okay. You just..." Another gentleman walked in and Dexter decided it was probably best not to talk to himself in a public mirror. He headed for the bathroom stall, trying to take some deep breaths. "Okay. Just..." He gulped. "Try to act as though..." Oh. Who was he kidding? Dexter didn't know what to say. He just sighed and actually went to the bathroom, so that he wasn't lying to Luna.

With Yusei, his salad had already arrived when he got back. "All right! Food!" he said and started eating his salad quickly. Akiza smiled as she watched Yusei quickly eat his food. She ate more slowly than he did, but she enjoyed seeing Yusei act more like himself for a change. With Luna, Dexter's soup had arrived as he came back. "Feeling any better?" Luna asked. Dexter nodded. "Uh huh," he replied as he looked happily at his bowl of soup.

Later, as dinner ended, Yusei took Akiza's hand. The rest of dinner went off much smoothly and they were able to walk to Yusei's car without a hitch. That was until Akiza could hear Yusei breathing rather deeply. "Is everything all right Yusei? You seem tense." Yusei nodded. "Yes. Everything's fine," he replied as he tried to hold a smile. He quickly got Akiza into the car, before coming around, and getting in. Akiza noticed that Yusei seemed to be driving rather slowly and his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

With Luna and Dexter, they too were leaving a restaurant. Luna took Dexter's hand and they headed outside. "Nice night," Dexter commented. "Yeah. It sure is," Luna replied. They started heading back to the Tops and Dexter felt his nerves growing. He looked around, trying to find something to take his mind off it. "Hey! A hardware store!" he spoke, having no idea why he was talking about it, "I hear they're...great." Luna just smiled at him. "Um...yeah," she replied, confused as to why Dexter brought it up. "Hey! There's that...um...fitness place." Luna again had no idea what Dexter was talking about, but smiled anyways. "Yeah. Looks like fun," she replied. When Luna looked away from him, Dexter motioned at his head with hand. 'You're making yourself look stupid,' he thought.

Yusei and Akiza were already at the Tops, but Yusei didn't feel comfortable. Akiza had noticed that, on top of Yusei's odd talking, was that he wasn't affectionate with her all night. Not even when she leaned on him as they stood in the elevator. Akiza was becoming worried. Was Yusei sick? As Yusei stared off into space, Akiza slid her hand on his forehead. "What are you doing?" he asked as he leaned back. Akiza smiled. "Just seeing if you're all right," she replied, "You've been acting strange." Yusei shook his head and spoke in a rush.

"What? Strange? Me? No! I'm just..." He put his arm around her. "Glad we're together right now." Yusei forced himself to smile at her. Akiza smiled back, as it was the first affection Yusei had shown her since they left the Izinski, minus the hand holding. Akiza got comfortable leaning against the sofa and Yusei, but Yusei saw she was dangerously close to his front pocket. 'If she feels that, then I'm a goner,' he thought and he scooted away.

"Um...Akiza," he started, not knowing where he was heading, "Can I go to the bathroom for a sec?" Akiza nodded and let him go. When Yusei got there, he could finally talk to himself, without having to worry about other people hearing him. "All right Yusei. You can do this. Just try to find a good time to go outside and tell her." He sighed as he washed up and tried to look neat again. When he turned out the light and opened the door, he jumped.

"Akiza! What are you doing here?" Akiza shrugged. "Well...you always wait for me at the bathroom, so I thought I would return the favor." Yusei sighed. "Well, thanks for that. You scared me a little bit." Akiza looked at him as she tilted her head. "Yusei, what's the matter with you? You seem so different right now." Yusei took a deep breath. "Akiza. Why don't we go outside and talk for a little bit?" He took her hand and Akiza followed him outside to the patio.

Dexter and Luna made it back to the Tops safely. However, Luna, like Akiza, noticed Dexter wasn't being very affectionate. Dexter loved giving her hugs, kisses, and just being sweet with her. It was one of the things that Luna loved so much about him. He was just a sweet guy to be around, even if he was very shy and quiet. Leo was still gone, so that left them alone. There was a silence as Luna and Dexter sat. Luna thought this would be a great time to start being affectionate. She put her arm around him and leaned in on Dexter. "I love you," Luna said sweetly. Dexter gave her weak feedback. "I love you too," he replied, without really leaning on her. Dexter could see that she was close to his pocket and he quickly became nervous. "I'll be right back, I have to use the restroom." he said in a rush as he quickly got up and left. Luna frowned as she watched him almost race to the bathroom.

As Dexter stood in the bathroom, he put some water on his fingers and tried to wipe his eyes. "Come on Dexter," he said to himself, "Just be calm." He took some deep breaths, but like in the restaurant, he really didn't know what to do. He felt as though he was going into battle all by himself. It was scary and frightening. He was worried about Luna's response and he worried she would say "no." His stomach suddenly felt fuller and he didn't want to go outside the room. He was scared, but he felt his pocket and tried desperately to reassure himself. "Dexter, you can do this," he tried to encourage himself. He opened the door and finally went back downstairs.

When he got back, Luna was still sitting on the couch. Dexter sat down without a word, but Luna noticed that now he looked really different. He looked as though he had seen a ghost. "Dexter, what's wrong? Something's bothering you. I know it." Dexter turned to her and looked deep into her eyes. He felt as though all his thoughts and feelings were going out into the open. Luna was slowly leaning forward and, when she got within a about a foot, her face was sad. "Dexter, please tell me what's wrong." She placed her hands on his. Dexter looked down to see her hands over his thin, vein showing ones. "Umm..." he replied and looked behind her at the patio. "Can I tell you outside?" he asked. Luna nodded and they took each other's hand.

Just about hundred yards away, Yusei and Akiza looked over the city of New Domino, They smiled at the skyline and how wonderful it was. "It sure is beautiful isn't it?" Yusei asked as he turned to Akiza. "It sure is," she replied. They looked back over it. "So, what was it that you wanted to tell me Yusei?" Yusei gasped and remembered what he wanted to do. He faced Akiza and fully turned to her. Akiza watched him and did the same. Yusei reached out for her hands and Akiza put her's in his.

"Akiza. You're...you're..." Akiza smiled at him, awaiting his response. "You're a wonderful woman. You're smart, kind hearted, and you care about making people happy." Akiza blushed. "But I really love making you happy the most," Akiza replied. Yusei smiled. "I know. You always know what to do to make me smile or laugh. You're great to be around Akiza and you're beautiful when you smile. There will never be anyone in the world with a smile better than yours." Akiza blushed. "Oh Yusei. You always love telling me how beautiful my smile is." Yusei nodded. He knew that talking about Akiza's smile was the perfect time to do this.

Akiza watched and gasped as Yusei went down on one knee. Akiza had waited and knew this moment was coming, but it still felt like a total shock. Akiza covered her mouth as Yusei pulled a box out of his pants. He then opened it to show her a basic ring. Akiza started to feel tears coming from her eyes and Yusei's voice started choking. "Akiza, you're smile is the most beautiful thing in the world. No matter what happens in my life, I will always have something that can cheer me up or bring a smile to my face. Akiza, you're the greatest person I know. You've made it through tougher challenges than I ever have and you've came out of all of them better than ever."

"Thanks to you Yusei. I can't thank you enough." Yusei smiled and felt tears roll down his cheeks. "But you have Akiza, in so many ways. You have well surpassed re-paying me for everything I did for you. Akiza, you make me the happiest man in the world and, no matter what, I know that we are always together. But I want to make it official Akiza. I want everyone to know that we'll be together forever. So, I have to ask you something." Akiza smiled and Yusei finally asked the question.

"Will you marry me?" Akiza nodded. "Yes," she cried, holding back the tears, "Yes. I will marry you!" Yusei gasped and smiled as he stood up. They gave each other a giant hug and cried over each other's shoulder. "Yusei, the ring?" Akiza reminded him. "Oh, right," Yusei replied and he leaned back. He took the ring out and put the box back into his pocket. Akiza held out her left hand and Yusei had luckily researched which finger was correct. He let is slip on gently and Akiza examined it closer to her face. She looked up at Yusei, who smiled at her, waiting for what was next. Akiza wrapped her arm around his neck and they shared a deep and wonderful kiss. Yusei put his arms around her and they felt some tears flow down their eyes again. After a few moments, Akiza leaned back.

"Yusei, I'm so happy! You've made me the happiest woman in the world!" Yusei nodded. "And you made me the happiest man in the world!" Akiza gasped. "Oh! We have to plan for the wedding." Yusei smiled. "Don't worry about that," he replied and put a hand around her back. "Come on. I have to show you something." They went back inside and Yusei showed her something online. "I already reserved this for us," he replied and Akiza gasped. Yusei smiled. "And this is day I picked." Akiza gasped. "Yusei...that's my Birthday." Yusei nodded.

"I know. I didn't want us to have to wait any longer. We've waited all those years as you got your degree, so I thought it would great to get married right away this Fall." Akiza smiled. "Oh Yusei. That sound wonderful." She then looked at some of the pictures of the reception area. "Yusei, this looks big enough to hold two weddings." Yusei smiled. "Well...there's something else I need to tell you about. I didn't want to tell you, because it might ruin my proposal for you."

A cross the hall, Dexter and Luna, much like Yusei and Akiza, were looking at the New Domino City skyline. "It sure is beautiful, don't you think?" Dexter turned to her. "Yeah, it sure is," he replied nervously. 'It's not as beautiful as you,' he thought as Luna smiled at him, making him blush. He tried to look away, but he could feel his nerves coming onto to him. His heartbeat was racing.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Luna asked as she turned to face him directly. Dexter faced her and looked down. "I...I..." He was at loss for words. He decided to just do the action and then say what he wanted to say. Dexter took her left hand and got down on one knee. Luna gasped, as he took out the box and the ring, knowing what this was. However, unlike a movie, Dexter didn't know what to say. "I...I..." he stuttered. He looked up at Luna and it seemed like she was a mile above him. She was covering her mouth and she slowly removed it, showing her smile.

"I love you so much," Dexter finally blurted out as he closed his eyes. He quickly opened them again, trying to find something romantic to say. "You've...always been there for me...I..." Dexter closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths. He feeling so many things right now. Joy. Fear. Worry. Happiness. He didn't know what to say. This was suppose to be a moment that a person would remember for the rest of their lives, but he felt as though he was choking. Choking like all the sports teams he loved so much.

Luna stood, waiting for Dexter to continue. However, she could hear him trying to hold back the tears. She knew that this would never happen in a movie, but she didn't care. This was real life and Dexter needed her. She bended down and got on both knees. She sat down and rested her butt against the back of her feet. She then put her right hand on top of her left and Dexter's hands. Dexter looked up and showed his worried face. Luna smiled at him and spoke in a calm voice.

"It's okay Dexter. Just relax. I'm right here. Don't be afraid to tell me whatever you're feeling right now." Dexter closed his eyes once more. He felt tears finally start flowing from his eyes. Even in his current state, he had to tell Luna everything.

"I...love you so much Luna. You're always so kind and gentle with me. Sure, you do scare me when you get mad or upset, but I know that you're a kindhearted person through and through. You..." He took a deep breath. "Have always been there for me. You've never gotten mad at my likes or dislikes. You've been so understanding and have tried to learn more about them. You've stood up for me and are not afraid of protecting me. You've never gotten mad about how my looks have changed over the years, with my facial hair and growing taller, but still shorter than you of course." Luna managed a chuckle and it made Dexter much more at ease. "You've always looked at what's on the inside and not on the outside. You've never been afraid of telling other people to buzz off when they tried to hit on you, even when I'm right next to you. You always stressed that you enjoy being with me and trying to make me happy. Luna, I want you to know that I feel the same way about you. I love you much more on what is on the inside than outside. I want you to know that I want to make you happy. Even when I haven't been able to do that, you still loved me and accepted me. Through all my faults and weaknesses, you still put them aside, in the end, and focused more on making each other happy. I know I haven't been the perfect boyfriend, but I want you to know that I might not be here if it wasn't for all that you have done for me. Luna, I want you to know that I love you more than anyone in the world and I want you to know that I will love you forever and ever." He took her hand and manged to lift the box as well.

"Will you marry me?" Luna smiled. "Yes Dexter." The two of them hugged, as Dexter made sure he had a tight grip on the box. They leaned back and Dexter looked at Luna's hand, completely forgetting which finger was right. "This one," Luna replied. "Oh, right," Dexter replied embarrassingly. He had only gotten an engagement ring, as he wanted them to pick out the wedding right later. Plus, if Luna said no, then he wouldn't have spent a ton of money on a ring. Luna looked at it, seeing the round gold band around her finger. Dexter instantly worried she was upset.

"I thought we would get the wedding ring together, so this one is only temporary," he quickly explained, "But do you still like it?" Luna looked at him and her eyes softened. This was so like Dexter, worried that he had upset her. Luna looked at his worried expression. Dexter was expecting a word answer, but he was in for a complete surprise, when Luna tackled him, pushing him down on the hard ground. Luna put her hands behind his head, just to be sure he didn't hurt himself, as she gave him a big kiss on the lips. After a few moments, Luna leaned back and looked him dead in the eyes.

"I love it," she said in whisper, "Just how I love you." She quickly went back to kissing and, this time, Dexter was ready to respond by kissing her back just as passionately.

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this one out.**

**The next Chapter will be the last and thanks so much for all your support through out this story!  
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	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55!**

**Bentstua : That's all pretty much implied in here! I hope you are not too disappointed with it!**

**melan anime: I did make a note of it, but to be honest, Jack seems like the kind of guy wanting a day centered around him. Sorry if you're upset, but I did leave a hint for you. ;)**

**shinn Tsukishiro: Thanks for the review and I'm happy for all your supporting. Calling the Chapter "beautiful" touched my heart!**

**A/N: Last Chapter! Thanks so much for your patience!**

**Warning: There is a lot of happiness in this Chapter, but also some dark and mature themes. Viewer Discretion is advised.**

Akiza's first plan was to call her parents. Since Yusei had already talked to them, they were expecting her call sooner or later. When Yusei called Martha, who he had decided to keep a secret from, she was yelling in the phone so loud that he had to hold it from his ear. "Oh you two are going to look so adorable together! Oh and then there's the dance and your tux and Akiza's dress!" Yusei just blushed as Martha went over all the things needed for the wedding. When he was done talking to her, he turned his attention to his future wife.

Yusei and Akiza sat on a couch and talked over what was already planned. Since the reception area had to be booked months in advanced, it was the reason Yusei had already picked it out. "I really wish we could have decided together" Yusei admitted, "But I wanted to make sure we could plan for it the first weekend in November, which would also be on Dexter's and your Birthday." Akiza blushed. "You really didn't have to do that Yusei," Akiza admitted. Yusei gave her a hug. "I know, but I wanted to make it extra special." Akiza understood and gave credit to her parents for being so quiet on the situation.

Yusei then told her how Dexter had talked to him about asking Luna, just before the twins were suppose to finish school. Dexter admitted that he was scared and worried Luna would say "no." Even though they were still paying for school, Luna and Leo had more than enough money that they wouldn't have o worry any financial trouble. However, Dexter stressed that he wasn't marrying her for money and that he loved what was on the inside. Plus, that she treated him better than anyone else. Yusei assured him that Luna would say yes, because she both loved and cared about him very much. Dexter replied that he felt the same way about her. Dexter had worried that he wouldn't be able to get her a very expensive ring, but Yusei suggested just getting a engagement ring. That way, they could go together for the real one, Luna could pick the one she liked, and, since Dexter wasn't rich like her, she would more than likely help him pay for it. Dexter agreed and followed his plan.

"We then thought about having two weddings, the idea was that we could have everyone here for one weekend. With Jack and Crow's busy schedules, we didn't want them to have to leave their work for us. So, combining them was the best plan." Akiza smiled as she leaned on him. "Is there anything else you already planned?" Yusei sighed. "Not...really," he admitted, "I didn't want to make any decisions by myself, because I didn't know anything about flowers or decorations." Akiza giggled.

"Don't worry Yusei. I'll do most of the girly stuff. We can work together on the food and everything else together." Yusei smiled. "Thanks Akiza. Plus, I'm sure Luna and Dexter would be more than happy to work together on it." Akiza nodded and they called Luna and Dexter, confirming the actions already in place.

"Dexter didn't remember where the reception was going to be, so I'm glad you called Yusei," Luna noted as she gave Dexter a look. He leaned back, but Luna winked at him and put her arm around his back, pulling them closer. "We can work out dinner and that stuff tomorrow, if you'd like," Yusei suggested, "But do you have any ideas?"

"How about just pasta?" Dexter replied, "One red and one white sauce. It's simple and easy." Everyone else thought that sounded good. "Wow!" Yusei commented, "We already got that set. Anyways, we'll talk to you tomorrow." They all nodded and Yusei turned the screen off. He then led Akiza back to couch. "What is it Yusei?" Akiza asked as she looked at her future husband.

"I just want to sit here and be close to you," he replied, "And let tonight's events soak in." Akiza smiled warmly and nodded as she leaned in close. They kept their arms around one another as the cuddled on the couch. They weren't afraid or ashamed to admit that they loved cuddling together, even if Jack thought it was "sissy like." Luna and Dexter repeated both the same actions and feelings on cuddling. Dexter did feel awkward at first, do to Luna being bigger than him. Yet, he found that to be ever more inviting and comfortable, as he rested his head against her shoulder. Both couples stayed that way for a very long time, just enjoying what had happened, and what was to come.

The next day, the four of them met to plan on what things they wanted, besides the food. They all shared the same concern right off the bat that they might disagree on what flowers or colors to use for the wedding. However, they all stressed that they were not going to try and have a so called "perfect wedding." Just to have a day to celebrate their love for each couple was more than enough. Plus, with their friends and family there, it would be hard not to.

Luna and Akiza got started on the flowers and colors. "There's usually two colors," Akiza noted, "So which one of these do you like?" Luna shrugged. "What if we each pick a color we like and then we can talk about it?" They looked online and started looking through colors. Yusei and Dexter sat, waiting for them to be finished. "I think I'd rather watch paint dry," Yusei commented. Dexter nodded. "Here, why don't we turn on the game?" Dexter suggested and he turned on a sporting event. Suddenly, both brides turned around.

"Are you two watching that?" Luna asked, "This is serious stuff!" Yusei looked over at them. "It's just colors," he replied, "What's the big deal?" Both women leaned over at him. "It's one of the most important decisions of the wedding!" they replied, "So you'd better give us a honest opinion about what you think!" Dexter felt his neck sweat. "Can we at least watch the game while wait?" Both women turned around. "Yeah, I guess," Luna replied, "But you two better give us your honest thoughts when we're done!"

"Yeah, uh huh," Yusei replied as he kept his eyes on the big screen. Later, when the women had made their selection, Yusei stared at the colors. "It looks fine," he replied plainly. Akiza leaned in close. "Be honest Yusei!" Dexter quickly chimed in. "What he meant to say is that it looks fantastic," he replied, "The color will really bring out your eyes." Akiza and Luna's faces almost sparkled. "Really?" they asked and Dexter nodded.

As the girls talked about what a compliment it was and Akiza joked how lucky Luna was to have him, Yusei whispered something to him. "I hope they won't turn into one of those crazy wedding brides." Dexter nodded and hoped for the same thing.

Luckily, the rest of the day went a lot smoother and both grooms had their minds at ease. Luna and Akiza were much more calm and cool when it came to picking out the flowers, while Yusei and Dexter talked about suit colors. "Jack will want white," Yusei commented, knowing the King's style preferences. Dexter put a hand on Yusei's shoulder. _"But remember this is our wedding day. Not his."_ Yusei nodded. "Then I want a traditional tux," he replied, "Black just looks nice." Dexter agreed. "Do you think Jack will be mad when he finds out it's not white?" Yusei thought for a moment. "Probably, but this way I can bug him about something." Dexter was confused, but Yusei winked at him, as well as flashing him a smile.

"What do you mean you're not wearing a white tux?" Jack shouted as he spoke to Yusei the following morning, "Black is so boring and unoriginal." Yusei smiled. "Well Jack, if it's your wedding day, you can have a white tux. In fact, if you proposed to Carly, we still have room to make it a triple wedding."

"Are you kidding?" Jack replied, "I don't want to share my wedding day with other people! My wedding is going to be about Carly and me and no one else, especially not you Yusei." Yusei just shrugged. "Okay Jack, if that's the way you feel about it, but Akiza has been talking to Carly about you two becoming official." Jack leaned into the camera. "I'll propose when I'm good and ready," he replied, "So don't you dare force Carly into me asking for her hand! You got that?" Jack was literally leaning his eye balls against the camera as he finished.

"All right," Yusei replied with his hands up, "I won't." Jack nodded proudly. "But that doesn't mean Akiza won't." Jack suddenly turned upset. "Hey! You..." Yusei quickly turned off the screen, before Jack could say more and laughed. "It's fun making fun of him and his arrogance."

Later that day, Yusei and Akiza drove to go get some things for Akiza's parents at the store. As Yusei drove, in the safety of his car, Akiza had some questions to ask him. "So just how big is this statue going to be?" Yusei smiled. "Oh it'll be big," he replied, "Larger than us for sure." Akiza looked down and felt squeamish. Having such a large statue of the two of them seemed a little embarrassing. "All right, so...um...what did you want us to wear?" Yusei's face gleamed.

"Just wear your usual Victorian outfit. I'll be wearing my blue outfit, since it's our traditional clothes." Akiza nodded. "So where is this statue going to be located?" she questioned. Yusei smiled as he pointed right in front of the Dueling Center as they drove by. Akiza gasped and looked at the spot as it got smaller and smaller. "You...really?" she asked in shock. Yusei just nodded. "Of course," he replied, making sure it was safe to turn to his future wife. He turned to her, beaming with confidence.

"If it's going to be called the Yusei and Akiza Dueling Center, so we ought to have something that shows who Yusei and Akiza are right?" Akiza blushed. "But Yusei...this..." Yusei stopped at a red light and sneaked his right arm around his seat belt. He pulled her closer to him for a second and sighed happily. "I wanted it like that Akiza. I wanted people to remember the other Signers, along with just how much we love and care about each other. But I also wanted people to know who the Signers and we were, long after we perish from this Earth. I didn't want the Dueling Center to have our name on it and have people not know who we were. I wanted to have something to show and read about us. We saved this city and, while I don't like attention, I wanted people to remember what we did. We came together, as a team, and helped saved the city." Yusei saw a green light and kept going.

"On top of that, the two of us fell in love with each other and we're going to become one in holy matrimony. So, I'm happy with having the statue and what it stands for. I can't wait to see it completed, because then we will always have something to remember both the Signers and our love for each other." When Yusei got to another red light, Akiza leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Yusei. I love you so much." Yusei turned to her. "I love you too Akiza." Yusei leaned over and closed his eyes. Akiza did the same and, just as they were about to kiss...

"Honk!" the car from behind honked. "All right. All right!" Yusei shouted angrily and quickly sped up, upset that the person from behind had ruined the moment. When they got to the store, Yusei stepped out and rushed over to Akiza. "Here's the kiss from before." He kissed her back and Akiza giggled. "Just don't do that when I'm pushing the cart," Akiza replied, "I might crash into someone." Yusei put his arms around her. "Well, if that person's me, then I don't mind." They both laughed and went inside. Even as they shopped, Akiza and Yusei gave each other a hug or kiss, even for the simplest things. Getting something and putting it in the cart, Yusei getting something from a high shelf, or Akiza figuring out which item was a better deal. People gave them odd looks, but hey, they were deeply in love.

As Luna sat at home, across from Yusei's apartment, she suddenly heard a knock at the front door. She went to get it and found Dexter waiting for her. He looked upset. "Dexter, what's wrong?" Dexter didn't respond and just hugged Luna tightly. Luna frowned, even though Dexter wasn't crying his eyes out. Something was wrong and she was here to help. She led him to the couch, as he still gripped onto her clothes. "Dexter, tell me what's wrong," she replied firmly as she hugged Dexter. He leaned back.

"Luna, I'm just so worried. I feel so old. I look around and see so many people younger than me. I don't look or feel like I used to. I feel like I could die any minute." Luna nodded, but also sighed. They had this conversation many times before. She understood what Dexter was saying. Yusei and Akiza had admitted to feeling old too. However, Luna smiled as she hugged Dexter close, as she would repeat what she said those other times before. "Dexter. Listen, we're all getting older. Every single day. It's no different for anyone else on this Earth, unless they find some magical cure." Dexter looked into her eyes. "But I want you to know that I don't mind getting older. With age comes wisdom. I'm not as smart as I was 10 years ago and I had experiences that I'm glad I experienced." Dexter shook his head.

"But I feel as though one day, I'll wake up an be and old man, with nothing to show from it." Luna shook her head. "Dexter, there's nothing wrong with being old. Sure, you can't do everything you used to do and you're health's more important. However, the best thing to do is enjoy your time here on Earth. Don't sit there worrying or feeling upset that you are old. Instead, enjoy each and every day, in a way that makes you happy. That way, you won't have any regrets. For example, you enjoy playing video games and going online correct?" Dexter nodded. "So, you're doing something you enjoy, so what's the big deal?" Dexter shrugged. "I just worry that I won't feel like I've lived a good enough life." Luna didn't understand.

"Why are you so concerned about your life? Like with how long you're going to live and being old? Why do you think you're going to live a worthless life? Is there something you want to tell me?" Dexter looked away and Luna instantly knew something was up. "Dexter, whatever it is, I promise that I won't judge you." Dexter sighed and turned to her. "Well...I've never told anyone this," he replied, "But the truth is, back when you were staying at London, I couldn't stand being alone. At the same time, I also wanted to be alone."

"But I talked to you almost every night," Luna replied. Dexter nodded. "Yeah, but...once that screen shut off, I was all alone again. I had no one else to talk too. Yusei would talk and spend time with me from time to time, but I didn't want to be a bother, so I tried to stay away." Luna could feel this was leading to something. "So what are you saying?" she asked. Dexter took a deep breath.

"I...I...I had thoughts of suicide." Luna gasped and quickly wrapped Dexter tightly. She wanted to say something, but she had to cry first. Dexter just sat there, hearing Luna's sobs. "Why would you do that?" Luna asked, once she managed enough strength to lean back and look at him. Dexter looked down. "I just didn't want my life to fly by and feel like I didn't do anything or I'd end up all alone. It's tough Luna, because while I like being by myself, I also hate it. I want to have someone to talk to, but I was always too shy. I never really made friends in school and I only see my friends at work at work. I also don't know anyone who would shares my interests. Even if they don't share them, at the very least, I wanted to be with someone who understands my interests. I'm not just nerdy, but some people think that about me. I also enjoy dancing and being silly for example. I don't care about other people seeing me as weird or odd. But most women wouldn't want to be with a guy like that either. When you started wanting to learn more about me, once we were official, I worried that you would find something you didn't like and force yourself to accept it. I also worried that I was forcing you into a relationship with me and that I wasn't good enough for you." Luna shook her head. "Dexter, I enjoy learning about you interests. Plus, I accepted your interests, because that's how I truly felt. Not because I was forced to. We've already talked about how you're perfect for me Dexter, no matter what. Plus, you never forced me into a relationship. I wanted one with you Dexter, because you make me happy." Luna sniffled.

"But...why would you think about taking your own life?" Luna asked, still holding onto his shoulders, "Yusei and all of us have said that, no matter how bad things seem, there's no reason to take your own life." Dexter thought about it a moment. "I figured that if it's going to happen eventually, why not just save the time and pain of getting some kind of disease or something. Plus, I...didn't want to be a annoyance or burden on other people." Luna pulled him closer and tightly hugged him.

"Dexter, you are never, ever a burden. You are always welcome in my home, Yusei's home, Martha's home, and so many more. Dexter you might think that no one cares about you, but you'd be surprised just how much you are loved and supported. I know that your parents were exactly like mine, leaving you all alone. But I assure you Dexter that you are loved, by more than just me. Please don't feel that way Dexter. Your life is important and you are great Dexter!" Luna leaned in close and looked deep into his eyes. It was almost memorizing.

"Dexter, you're a wonderful person with a heart of gold. No matter what, no one can take that away from you. It will never go away, no matter what age or how sick you are. If you have that Dexter, then you truly are a special person." Dexter finally couldn't hold himself back. He leaned over Luna's shoulder and wept. Luna hugged him tightly and let him cry and cry. When he leaned back, he looked at her.

"I...just didn't want to live a worthless life." Luna shook her head. "You can't live a worthless life Dexter. You haven't done that so far. As long as you do something you enjoy, that's not illegal of course, you'll leave this Earth without regrets. Like I said Dexter, you have a heart of gold and that's something no one can take away from you." She leaned in and kissed him on lips. When she leaned back, she gently stroked his right cheek with her thumb.

"Now when was the last time you had the thought of suicide?" Dexter thought about it. "Probably before you came back for good. School was busy and I worried that you met someone in London." Luna shook her head. "I would never leave you Dexter. You treat me right and to the best of your abilities. That's something almost every girl wants in a guy." They hugged and Dexter confessed a little more to her. Luna asked him if he had any thoughts of going through with it, but Dexter said he could never have the strength to do it. Luna nodded and wanted to be sure that it didn't happen again. Luna knew Dexter did have some issues when it came to feeling blue and she wanted to be certain that he always knew he was loved and cared for. Hearing him confess made Luna want to be even closer to him and it did bring them closer together.

After talking some more, Luna looked Dexter right in the eyes. "Are you sure you won't do this ever again?" Dexter nodded and Luna hugged him. She hated the fact that Dexter felt so depressed that he wanted to take his own life, but she wanted him to know that everything was okay. She loved him no matter what and she wanted him to know that it would last forever.

The next day, Yusei and Akiza were going to be posing for the statue. They both got ready at Yusei's apartment, getting into their regular clothes. "Almost ready?" Yusei asked as he got ready in a bathroom. "I'm all set," Akiza replied and Yusei went to the light switch. He turned it off and suddenly saw a pair of giant breasts. Yusei gasped as Akiza stood in front of him. She looked the same as always in her red Victorian style outfit. But somehow Yusei was memorized by her and she blushed as he stared at her. "Everything okay?" she asked. Yusei nodded and gave her a kiss. "You look beautiful. Like always." Akiza smiled. "Thanks. You do too," she replied and kissed him back.

Yusei and Akiza then headed over to the major's office. They were suppose to pose for the statue as people would draw, measure, and take pictures of them. As they drove over, Akiza still had some questions. "How long do you think it will take?" she asked. Yusei shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe a few minutes, maybe a few hours. I don't know." Akiza nodded. "What about what we wrote to go on the statue?" she asked as she held the paper that she had typed. It contained the words that they both found to be just right for the statue. Yusei smiled as he went into a parking spot and read the paper once more. It fit their message perfectly.

"I'll give it to them and tell them that it's exactly what we want." He gave Akiza the paper back and they got out. They wrapped their arms around their backs as they walked in. "Where do we go for the statue making?" Yusei asked a woman at the front desk and she directed them to the correct room. When they got there, and Yusei opened the door, they were stunned by just how many people were there. They all turned to them, including Lazar. "Oh! Yusei and Akiza. So glad your here." Akiza handed him the paper. "This is what we want written on the statue," Akiza said as some of the other workers motioned for them to come over to a spot.

"But this seems to emphasize your love more than..." Lazar started, before Yusei interrupted him. "Yeah, but it's what we want," Yusei replied and they went to the spot, surrounded by workers. They wrapped their arms around each other and smiled at one another. "Okay, get into your position," Lazar instructed them. Yusei and Akiza turned only their heads to him. "This is our position," Yusei replied.

"But that seems to suggest you as a couple," Lazar replied. Akiza gave him an angry look. "You got a problem with that?" she replied angrily. Lazar took a step back as Yusei chuckled. "No. No. Nothing's wrong," he replied. He snapped his fingers. "All right! Get to work!" he instructed the workers. Suddenly, Yusei and Akiza were surrounded by people. They took a moment to watch them, before turning and smiling at one another.

It only took a few moments for them to get lost in each other's eyes. It reminded them of their love confession so many years ago. Their reflection was in each other's eyes and they felt as thought they were staring into each other's soul. People behind them measured their heights and three people drew their outfits to a T. It seemed as though time stood still for Yusei and Akiza, but time was flying by around them. They wanted to stay like that forever, just enjoying the smile on their lover's face. Suddenly, someone tapped Akiza on the shoulder. "Can we ask you guys a couple questions?" a man asked.

"Do we have to stay in our pose?" Yusei asked and the man shook his head. Akiza and Yusei relaxed and wrapped their arms around each other. "So what's up?" Yusei asked. The artists blushed. "Um...well...there's three questions. The first is about Yusei." Yusei nodded and the artist continued. "Do you want us to keep your marker on your face or should we remove it?" Yusei smiled.

"This mark reminds of the love of my life," he replied as he looked at Akiza proudly, "Without it, the two of us might have never had the chance to meet each other and fall in love. The mark on my cheek is for a law that doesn't exist and my record has been wiped clean. I want this statue to be realistic, so please keep my mark on. Without it, I would lose something that reminds me of Akiza, whenever I look at it." Akiza blushed and they shared a quick kiss. The artist nodded. "All right, my next two are for Akiza." Akiza turned to him and paid attention. "What should we do about Akiza and her...um..."

"Bust?" Akiza asked and she let out a laugh, "Don't worry. I've dealt with this before. The fact that it's able to touch Yusei, even with me standing a short distance from him is fine. We want this to be as real as possible. I don't care if people look up and can't see in between Yusei and me, because of how large my chest is. That's the way it really is, so that's the way the statue should be." The artist smiled, but also sweated.

"That's great, because my second question is about your outfit." Akiza and Yusei payed even close attention. "What should we do about underneath your...um..." He slowly pointed to the end of Akiza's skirt. Yusei quickly tightened his grip around Akiza and she tugged at it. "You're not looking up her skirt," he replied firmly. The artist waved his hands defensively.

"I know. I know," he replied, "But I was wondering if you wanted to change it for people looking at the statue." Akiza and Yusei both became confused. "How so?" Yusei asked in a curious tone. The artist smiled and quickly started drawing. "Well, there are a couple of options." After drawing a few more seconds, he showed them a sheet of paper on his pad. "We could do it so that Akiza's legs are together as they go up the skirt, to prevent anyone from seeing her...you know. I could also do it so that it only shows a very small sliver." Yusei and Akiza examined the drawings. "Or I could just make it regular looking. As you said, people are going to be seeing and standing underneath the statue." Yusei turned to Akiza, as they had never considerate it. "What do you wanna do Akiza? It's your decision." Akiza thought about it for a moment.

"Make it look like it really is," she replied, "If they see up my skirt, well that's what they would really look like from that angle." The artist nodded. "Just don't try to make it a fancy looking underwear or anything," Akiza advised him, "Just make it look real simple and plain." The artist nodded and would focus on making it smooth and simple. He wrote and drew something down in his book, and then thanked them for their cooperation.

Yusei smiled. "I'm a little surprised," he replied, "I didn't think you'd be so willing to do all that." Akiza looked at Yusei, with a sarcastic look. "Yeah, but you were the one who started it. You were the one who kept telling Lazar that you didn't want any 'extras' to make yourself look better than you really are." Yusei rolled his eyes. If this was Jack's statue, he knew he would ask the sketchers and photographers to stress his muscles and other physical parts. But Yusei had stressed that he wanted none of that stuff. The way he looked was just fine and Akiza had stressed the same feelings as well.

The artists and photographers showed them their photos and sketches a while later. Akiza and Yusei were amazed by just how accurate their drawings were. They had every line and wrinkle in their faces down. Their hair was draw beautifully and their bodies were both extremely accurate. Their smiles looked like triangles with the point facing down. Still, the pose was accurate, with their faces clearly looking deeply into each other's eyes. It was as if nothing around them was important, except for the person they loved.

"That's amazing," Akiza commented as she looked at the drawings. Yusei looked at the pictures and different angles that the photographer had taken. He showed them to Akiza, who was smiling all the way. "So what's next?" she asked. Lazar smiled. "We'll get construction started right away," he replied, "After all, the Dueling Center will be opening soon and we want to unveil it on opening day." Akiza wanted to press for more information, but she decided to hold back until they were back at home.

As Luna sat on her bed, she pondered telling everyone about Dexter's thoughts of suicide. She didn't want to trap him in a corner and have everyone give him a lector on it. At the same time, she wanted people to know about it. That way, she could use it as a springboard to show Dexter that he truly had people that cared about him. The easiest person to talk to would be Leo. He both knew him and was one person Luna had plenty of trust in.

Later, Luna took Leo's hand and pulled him to the couch, as soon as they were done eating lunch. Leo sat down, as Luna hadn't said a word about what was going on, despite his pleas for information. Luna turned to him, with a serious look on his face.

"Leo, we have to talk about something. It's very serious, but also very important. So please, once I tell you, don't go blabbing it all around town." Leo nodded and Luna started. She talked about how Dexter said he felt alone most of his life. To be honest, Luna didn't blame him. Not having parents around was tough and, at the end of the day, having to go to bed at night alone was both scary and sad. She talked about how these feelings had bottled up inside of him and how he had tried to hide it from other people. But at the end of the night, that's when these feelings would come up. She talked about how Dexter was afraid of being worthless and how he didn't want to look back, wishing life was different. She talked about having to go through school, not only bullied, but also without any friends. Sure, they had all talked to him and spent time with him, which he said he greatly appreciated. However, he had almost no one else to talk to. Each day would be flying by, with nothing to show for it and no one to be with. No one to comfort him or who understood him.

Once Luna told Leo as much as she knew about Dexter, she admitted what she was building up for. "Dexter had thoughts of suicide," she admitted. Leo gasped and looked away. He couldn't believe that one of his best friends thought about that. Even just once. He felt like he should have been more supportive or spent more time talking to him with Luna. It explained why he was so shy and nervous. It also made sense why Dexter would hide that from everyone else too. Leo stood up.

"I need to go talk to him," he replied and headed for the door. Luna quickly ran after him and grabbed his wrist. "No!" she replied, "Then he'll be upset that I told you!" Leo turned around. "So what? He shouldn't think that! We care about him Luna! Clearly, we haven't been doing that enough!" Luna sighed. "But I already gave him that speech Leo! He said that he hasn't had those thoughts for a long time." Leo frowned. "But what if he has them again?" he asked. Luna shook her head.

"Trust me Leo. That part of his life is gone now. Please, can't we talk to Yusei and Akiza more about it?" Leo gasped. "Wait! We talked to him all the time, even when we were in London! His story doesn't make sense! Yusei even spent time with him! How could he not know that people cared about him?" Luna shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know Leo, but please trust me that he's gotten over this. He now has me in his life and I know that he'll be just fine." Leo turned around and sighed. "Okay," he replied, "But we've still got to do something."

A few days later, Dexter was just sitting at home, listening to music. He hadn't heard from Luna in a couple of days. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. "She's probably telling everyone about what happened," he said. He suddenly heard the doorbell ring and went to get it. He looked through a peep hole and saw a bunch of people standing in front of the door. Leo, Luna, Yusei, Akiza, and even Martha were there. He sighed and gently hit his head on the door, as he looked down at the floor.

"Oh crap," he muttered. He opened the door and everyone instantly smiled at him. He closed his eyes. "Come in," he said, knowing why they were here. He waited until he heard their feet stop moving to open his eyes. When he did, he saw them standing in a circle surrounding him. Dexter put his fingertips on his forehead as Luna came up to him. She reached out and took his hands.

"Dexter. We all know what happened." Dexter sighed. "I know," he replied. Luna got closer to him and put her arms around her back. "But we want you to know that we're always here to talk about whatever you need to talk about." Dexter looked up at her, as she tried to smile at him. Dexter sighed and felt guilty. "I know," he replied. Luna leaned in close. "But what we all really want to know is why didn't you come talk to one of us if you had these thoughts? If you were so upset, why didn't you say something?" Dexter tried to think about it.

"I don't know," he replied, "I just..." He looked up and Luna seemed to be waiting for his response. "I don't know," he finished. Luna pulled him close. "I know that you haven't had these thoughts for a while Dexter, but what hurts us is that you're afraid to come talk to us about these emotions. We do not have the same mindset as you do. But if you are feeling alone, old, worried about living a worthless life, or whatever the reason is, we want you to let us know. We're all here for you Dexter and we want you to know that e love you." Everyone came in close and hugged the two of them. Dexter blushed as he felt everyone else put a hand on his back or shoulder. Luna then spoke up once more. "Promise me that, if you ever have those thoughts again, that you'll come talk to one of us." Dexter nodded. "I will," he replied a bit more confidently. Luna smiled back and it made Dexter smile too.

"This won't cause the wedding to be called off will it?" Luna shook her head. "No. It won't." She leaned in close and whispered. "Because I know just how much you love being with me." Dexter looked away shyly, blushing all the way. Luna laughed and enjoyed both seeing and feeling Dexter squirm in her arms. They shared a kiss and Luna let everyone have a chance to encourage Dexter to talk to them. Seeing Dexter smile again and having everyone team up to help him made Luna feel a warmth inside of her.

Over the next few months, everyone got ready for the wedding. One of the most obvious was picking out a wedding dress. Akiza and Luna went out with Martha and Ms. Izinski to find a good dress at a reasonable price. They didn't need any fancy fabric or extras. Just a simple dress and veil would be fine. They also didn't fight with any of the sales clerks, although they did hear one girl make one cry, because she didn't get a "perfect" dress. After looking through many of them, they both found what they wanted.

They were almost identical dresses, both with sleeves and a medium length train. Akiza got a custom fitted one, making sure there was plenty of room for her chest. Luna and Akiza both gleamed with excitement once they were all set and paid for. "I'm so excited!" Luna exclaimed. "Me too!" Akiza replied and they hugged one another. They both couldn't wait for their wedding day to show off their dresses to their husbands.

Speaking of husbands, Yusei and Dexter went out to look at tuxes. Dexter didn't really need one, with Luna giving him one for Christmas a few years ago. He might get a bigger set of pants, but otherwise, he was pretty much set. Yusei, on the other hand, normally wore a dress or button up shirt for formal occasions, so he was in need of a new suit. Both men were a little worried with Mr. Izinski along, but he insisted that his connections could help save on the costs as well as getting a good service rep. Yusei felt a little uncomfortable as they took a few measurements, just to be safe on sizes and fits.

"I'm a little embarrassed," Yusei replied as Dexter and his wife's father looked on. Mr. Izinski smiled. "Don't worry Yusei, there's nothing to be ashamed of." Yusei turned back around, just wishing for them to get done as quickly as possible. They took Dexter's measurement for his waist, but they found some black pants rather quickly. With Yusei, he was a bit self conscious, worried that he didn't look good enough for his wife.

"It's okay," Dexter encouraged him, "Akiza will think you look great." Yusei sighed and managed to find a good coat and undershirt. They each bought a clip on, red bow tie to top it all off. As they were about to pay, Dexter suddenly remembered.

"What are we going to do about the groomsmen?" Yusei gasped and put his hand to his head. "Aww crap!" he said and dreaded how that conversation would go. He could imagine talking to Crow and Jack on the phone about it. Jack would want white and Crow would want black. Crow would want clip on ties, while Jack would want a tied tie. They were just about opposites when it came to picking out clothes and Yusei dreaded the thought of having to pick out something. "I'll talk to them," he replied, not wanting Dexter to have to handle their criticism.

Later, Yusei managed to get on a video chat with both Jack and Crow at the same time. As soon as he talked dressing for the wedding, Jack and Crow got heated as usual. "White is the way to go," Jack replied. Crow just growled. "White is so stupid Jack. Plus, it's all shiny and slick. It looks like the sheet of ice on a cold winter's day!" Yusei just sighed. He didn't want to put his foot down and have one or both of them be upset with what he choose. He decided that he had to go with the nontraditional route and do what he had told Akiza when he explained the situation to her about an hour ago.

"Look!" Yusei shouted, "It's my wedding and we're going to do what I want to do." Crow and Jack both stopped shouting and stared. "We're going to have you two decide what to wear. You're my only groomsmen, so you two decide on what to wear. If you come in with nothing, but a pair of boxers or briefs on, then that's your guy's decision. End of discussion." Yusei quickly turned off the screen before anyone could say another word.

Yusei sighed once he finally shut the screen off. He was grateful he only had two groomsmen and that was it. Some people thought Kalin was another candidate, but Yusei had to angrily remind them what had happened. About a week after Yusei finally got to leave that disgusting, never visiting it again, old Wild West like city, the kids Kalin took care of got in a fight. It was their first since Kalin had taken them in. Due to Kalin never dealing with fighting kids, along with his extremely mentally ill mind, he did the only thing he knew what to do when face with a problem: hurting/killing someone or himself. In this case, it was killing himself.

When word got to Yusei years later, he was angry and had enough. He admitted that Kalin wasn't ever deserving of be his friend, especially considering how bad of a friend Kalin was to him. Every time Kalin had a problem, he would go out and hurt someone or himself. Then, Yusei had to then go save Kalin from himself. He had saved Kalin's life twice and risked his own life for him four times. Yet, after all of that, this was the thanks he got? Jack and Crow agreed with Yusei, once they heard what happened, and the three of them cleared themselves of everything they knew about the man.

Back in the present, Yusei didn't know what Crow and Jack would do. He worried one would come with what they wanted and the other would come with nothing on. Still, Yusei knew that they wanted to make his wedding day the best that they could. They were his real friends and a real friend wouldn't disappoint them on the most important day of their life. Still, Yusei said a few prayers that hopefully everything would turn out well.

Luckily, Yusei's attention got to go elsewhere the following week, as they spent the day shopping to pick out the cake and food for dinner. Leo went along as well, hoping to score a few samples. They also brought their phones with as well, to contact Martha or the Izinski's if they had questions or concerns. They managed to score a good deal on pasta and salad for food. Both couples didn't care for any of kind alcohol, but they knew their guests would. They debated on whether to have a keg and then bar afterwards, open bar, cash bar only, or other options. To be honest, they weren't thrilled by any of them, as they didn't want to deal with the hassle as well as their distaste for the liquids. They called their parents and decided to have some free beer, with cash bar after it was empty. However, both couples did not want any alcohol of any kind. Not only was it due to their dislike of it, but they wanted to be able to remember what would hopefully be the best day of their life.

Once that was settled, they went to a cake shop. They wanted cupcakes, with a couple small cakes for themselves. They wanted cupcakes, as it would be easier to ration out and also have food that everyone could have for themselves. To have the best of both worlds, they decided on marble, but they did ask for samples, so Leo could get his dessert fix.

"Mmmph," Leo moaned a bit dissatisfied, "This one's good, but a little dry. Can I get another one?" Luna just rolled her eyes back as she knew Leo just wanted free cake.

They then had to deal with getting the wedding bands/rings. They went to a well known jewelry shop, although in separate cars. Akiza and Yusei were excited, but Akiza did have a important question. "What is the statue going to do about our rings?" Yusei smiled. "Well, there were two things that come to mind," he replied, "One: that was part of the reason why I proposed when I did. I wanted them to know we were going to have rings on the statue, so people will see that we offically became one." Akiza blushed as Yusei went to his second part. "Two: I told them that I'll send them pictures of the rings, as it will be one of the last things they will put on the statue. So, it will have our wedding bands/rings on it, even before our wedding." Akiza smiled and kissed Yusei once he got to a stop sign.

"Whoa!" Yusei said as he tried to hold onto the wheel, "I don't want another car honking at us if we kiss." Akiza just laughed and they both straightened themselves out as they waited for the light to turn green. In the opposite car, Luna had to deal with Dexter apologizing for not getting her a wedding ring first and also for not being able to afford a nice ring. Luna told him it was okay, but when they got to the mall, Dexter was still apologizing.

"Dexter, look at me for a moment." Dexter did and Luna quickly cupped his cheeks, planting a big kiss on his lips. When she leaned back Luna looked him deep in the eyes. "I'm just thankful you got me a ring at all," she replied smoothly, "So don't worry Dexter. I'm not mad at all. Got it?" Dexter nodded nervously. "Can we kiss one more time?" Luna chuckled and gave him another kiss.

Finally, it was the week of the wedding, the practice dinner, and such went well and everything seemed to be in order. Except for one little thing. All four people were concerned about it, but they were all thankful once it got brought up. Akiza was finished eating dinner at Yusei's apartment. She was going to move in the Tops with him, just like Dexter was going to move across the hall with Luna.

"Wow!" Akiza said as Yusei took the dishes, "I can't believe this is going to be my new home." Yusei smiled. "Me neither," he replied and they kissed. After doing the dishes, Akiza wondered what was planned for the evening. However, Yusei became both serious and nervous as he took her hand and led her to the couch. Akiza sat down and could tell Yusei had to say something. "What is it Yusei?" Akiza questioned.

"Akiza, we have everything planned, except for..." He gulped. "After the wedding." Akiza thought for a moment and suddenly got what he was saying. "Oh..." she replied, not sure what to say. Yusei nodded. "And I thought that we should talk about...it." Akiza nodded and Yusei took her hands. They then faced one another. "Look...Akiza, I'm not going to lie. I've seen and read my fair share of...inappropriate materials. However, I want to stress that that's not the way I want us to do it."

Akiza narrowed her eyes, wanting to speak up. "I've seen that stuff too Yusei and I agree that I don't want us to base our love life on that. So, what did you want to do instead?" Yusei gasped and blushed. He bit his lip and tried to think of something. "Look, how about we say what we want to do and what we don't want to do? Then, we can work from there." Akiza nodded and they slowly managed talk about it. They were both surprised and happy about what they were hearing. It was fun to learn about the other and what they wanted to do. Surprisingly enough, they agreed on many things, and they planned on what they were going to do. They also talked about doing it at any age, unless of course there was something serious that would cause them to stop. Not only that, but they stressed that they wanted to continue being affectionate and they wanted to show their love for one another. That felt more satisfying than anything physical that they could ever possibly experience. To sum the conversation up, Yusei stressed the same thing as at the beginning.

"I want us to have good communication about this. I also want both of us to enjoy it. It should be about both of us being happy, not just one. All those movies and stuff in the media, emphasize what the guy wants. But for me, I want us to do what feels good, for both of us." Akiza blushed. "I feel that way too, Yusei," she replied, "I want us both to enjoy it." Yusei nodded and agreed. They then leaned forward and shared a sweet kiss.

Across the hall, Luna and Dexter were having same conversation. Suddenly, Leo walked in, just as they were starting to talk. "Aww! My ears!" he shouted once he realized what it was about. He followed that by running up the stairs. Luna and Dexter watched him as he tried to drown out the noise. Luna and Dexter turned to one another and continued the conversation. By the end, they were in the exact same position as Yusei and Akiza. "So does that sound good?" Dexter asked. Luna nodded as she smiled and they shared a kiss.

Finally, the day was here and it was very busy. Not only were they going to have a wedding, with pictures taken beforehand, but the Dueling Center was also opening. The first weekend was just like an open house, showing people what would be inside. Yusei, Akiza, and the rest of the workers had toured and tried out the equipment. Yusei and Akiza worried that there might not be interest or that people might get upset with having to pay a fee. However, early signs pointed that they would have very good membership and most people planned on joining, with a bunch of people hopefully following suit once they saw what the building contained. They had already found psychic duelists to help and all the Duel Academy links were ready and in place.

On that day as well, was the unveiling of the Yusei and Akiza statue. There was a giant white sheet that covered a huge statue. Yusei and Akiza stayed a short distance away as they got prepared. The other Signers were there as well, to take part in the celebration. Akiza could see that Yusei was nervous. "Yusei, why are you so nervous?" she asked. Yusei looked away. "I'm...I'm not good at public speaking." Akiza smiled. "I know what happened with the scientist thing and being forced to lie to the media. However, you talked to media at the Dueling Party last year, so why are you so nervous now?" Yusei turned to her.

"But you were by my side the whole time," Yusei remembered, "You helped me be less nervous." Akiza smiled. "Then I'll be right by your side the whole time today. Okay?" Akiza replied, "Don't worry." Yusei managed a small smile as he looked out overhead. There were a bunch of media people in front of a small podium. Behind them were a large group of people, waiting for the statue to be revealed. Once they got the go-ahead, they both headed for the podium, arms wrapped around one another tightly. The Signers were close behind.

"Good morning," Yusei said, "On this cold November day. I thank you all for your patience and waiting for us. We greatly appreciate it." After a small applause, Yusei told them all about the Dueling Center and what it would have. He stumbled a few times, but glances and smiles from Akiza pulled him through. Once he managed to the end, they turned to the large statue next to them. Yusei and Akiza hadn't seen it either, so they were in for a treat as well.

"In honor of the center, we will have this statue," Yusei said and they looked up, as a tall construction machine pulled on the large white sheet. Finally, the sheet left the statue, as a bunch of cameras flashed for photos. Everyone gasped at the statue of the two of them in a close embrace. As Yusei had promised, a ring/band was on their hand, just like it would be in a few hours. Akiza then stepped up to the microphone.

"What is written at the bottom also should be noted, besides the statue." She took a deep breath and read.

"This is a statue of Yusei Fudo and Akiza Izinski, two of the six Signers who helped protect and save New Domino City The other four Signers were..." Akiza then listed the other Signers: Jack, then Crow, followed by Leo, and Luna. "Together, they teamed up to defeat the Dark Signers and ZONE." Akiza then turned to the part that Yusei and Akiza were most proud of.

"Before the Dark Signers battle, these two fell deeply in love with each other. After the final battle with ZONE, they confessed their love to one another, to which both of them reciprocated each other's feelings. Over the years, their love for one another grew into an unbreakable bond of love. They then became one in holy matrimony and their love continued to grow even more unbreakable. Their love for each other will last forever and they will always be together. Their anniversary is celebrated every year on November 3rd."

Akiza then looked up as the crowd behind the media erupted. Yusei and Akiza shared a kiss, which brought more cameras out and pictures to be taken. Akiza and Yusei smiled at one another and looked up to the statue. They hoped everyone enjoyed the statue as much as they did. They took a few questions from the media, with most of them focused on if Akiza and Yusei could stay together. The other Signers all looked at one another rolled their eyes. They had watched them be so shy about their feelings for one another. Plus, it was going to be nearly impossible for them not to be together after all they had been through. Yusei and Akiza tried to stress what the other Signers were thinking. They also asked if the statue stressed their love too much, but they responded that the other Signers had approved of it. Afterwards, they went over to the Dueling Center entrance, just a short distance away. After taking some photos, Akiza and Yusei took a pair of scissors and said together:

"We declare the Yusei and Akiza Dueling Center officially open!" They cut the ribbon together and everyone cheered. They shared one more kiss for the cameras. Still, it wasn't going to be as fun as the kiss they would share in a few hours.

A few hours later, Yusei and Dexter stood just outside the church. They looked around nervously. "Where's Jack and Crow?" Yusei wondered out loud. Dexter felt nervous as well. He hoped that they didn't ruin the wedding by not showing up. "There they are!" Dexter noted and they both gasped.

Jack and Crow were wearing nearly identical clothes as Yusei and Dexter. Yusei was surprised as he shook their hands. "Jack...Crow...I..." Jack cut him off. "There's nothing to say Yusei. We wanted this day to be special for both Akiza and yourself, along with Dexter and Luna." Crow then added, "So, we figured that we would go with what would be best for you guys. We already knew that you were going to wear, so we did almost the exact same thing." Yusei smiled. "Wow! Thanks you guys!" They all shared a man hug, including Dexter.

It was then time to take photos. Yusei saw Akiza and Dexter saw Luna for the first time. They all blushed and complimented one another on their attire. It was hard keeping themselves composed, as they were all excited to become one together. After taking photos inside, saving time for later, it was time for the ceremony.

Jack walked down with Carly and Crow walked down with Martha, since Akiza didn't have any other bridesmaids. Since it was a double wedding, Yusei walked down with Dexter. They both stood up front nervously, as they both waited for their brides. Finally, the piano music started and everyone stood up. Luna came in first, followed by Akiza. Even though they had seen their brides before during pictures, they were still overwhelmed by just how amazing they were and lucky that they were to have those women in their lives. The brides each went up to their groom and giggled at how stunned they looked. All of them complimented their bride on wife on how beautiful they were.

After doing some prayers and stuff, it was time for the wedding vows. The church was big enough, where each couple could stand on each side of the alter. On the right was Dexter and Luna and on the left was Yusei and Akiza. Dexter and Luna came first. The pastor asked them for their responses and the two of them looked deeply into the other's eyes.

"I do," Dexter said one last time and slipped on Luna's wedding band/ring. The pastor turned to Luna, having to look up, and asked her the same questions. "I do," she responded one last time, with a smile on her face. She then put the ring/band on Dexter's finger The pastor thane walked over and did the same to Yusei and Akiza. Like the other couple, they stared into each other's eyes as he spoke. "I do," Yusei replied firmly and put the ring/band on her finger. The pastor turned to Akiza and asked her the same questions as the other three. "I do," she responded one last time and put the band/ring on Yusei's finger. The pastor then went to the middle, in between both couples.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husbands and wifes. You may now kiss the brides." Both couples gave each other a kiss and some hoops and hollers were from different parts of the audience. Once they were done, the priest proclaimed them and they finished the rest of the service. Once mass was over, the couples went to the gathering space, and they talked with their friends and family for a little bit. Once everyone was outside, the two couples came out together, and people blew bubbles at them. They each went into a separate limo, to give them their own time together, and they waved to the crowd, once they were inside. The limos took off and they all headed for the reception area.

After greeting and eating with the guests, it was time for the first dance. Yusei and Akiza and Dexter and Luna went out together. A song started and both couples leaned in close. As they swayed, Luna could fell her eyes start to water. She looked down and heard Dexter choke. "Dexter are you all right?" she asked as she looked down. Dexter looked up and he too had tears on his face. "I love you so much," Dexter said quietly. Luna smiled and they both let the tears roll down their face. "I love you too," Luna replied and she leaned in close, "I love you so much." They shared a kiss and smiled at one another. Then, they leaned over each other's shoulders and took the moment in, with tears on their faces. A similar situation happened with Yusei and Akiza. Yusei leaned in close to check in on Akiza. "Are you doing okay?" he asked quietly. Akiza looked up, tears about to come out of her eyes. "I love you," Akiza whispered, looking deep into his eyes. She could see Yusei's eyes water up. "I love you too," Yusei replied, "I love you so much." He watched as Akiza let tears fall down her face and he did the same. They shared a kiss and leaned over each other's shoulders, letting the tears continue to fall down. Both couples swayed back and forth as the music continued.

Their journeys had ups and downs, good times and bad times. No matter what though, they would always be together and their love would last forever. And they never could have been together, if they hadn't learned about love and each other.

**A/N: I apologize if Dexter's suicide moments may have been too much. I felt like years of having to be alone, having two of his best friends suddenly leave, not getting to see them for years, watching his love Luna come and go, and no parents/friends would make him feel rather lonely and depressed, so he'd keep the feelings bottled up inside. So, I thought it would be one last obstacle for them to overcome and it could help bring them together. I'm sorry if anyone's upset.**

**300,000+ words later and it's all done! **

**Thanks for all your support throughout the story! This is as good of a head canon for me as I could write. I tried to tie in a lot of what the show gave and also expanded on certain parts. Still, this was about as close to canon as I could write and it's, for the most part, what I think happened after the show.**

**I honestly don't know what I'll do next, when it comes writing Fanfiction. While I do have ideas for other stories, including a brief one about the Dueling Center and a few Chapters on them working together, I just have concerns going forward. I don't want to worry/disappoint people, but I'm not sure what I will do. I put a ton of time and effort into my stories and I just do not want to give people a bad product.**

**However, despite me being very cautious and overly concerned, I thank you for all your support and sticking by me throughout this story! Thanks again and I hope you know just how much I appreciate your support!**


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